Howcome Islam was able to headshot KO Volk but Yair wasn't able to?

[jackleeb]

(Yellow belt thoughts)

Isn't Yair supposed to be a better kicker than Islam?

 

[JustBreed]

I reckon Volk was still sleeping on Islam's striking

 

[Hypetrainofthemonth]

Wasnt expecting it?!?

 

[TheWobbler]

Maybe islam and his coaches did there homework and saw a hole in volks defence after the first fight?

 

[jackleeb]

Wasnt expecting it?!?

Isn't MMA supposed to be literally "expect the unexpected"?
No martial art should be overlooked.
Also, Islam did kicks in the first fight so it wasn't completely brand new.

Does this mean that Yair could have grapplefucked Volk because he wouldn't expect it from him?

 

[sdpdude9]

He make more good kick.

 

[Xoleth]

Because Volk took Yair down, grappled him, made him tired.
Also, Volk, might be faster at FW.
Also, Islam has pretty good kicks.

 

[jackleeb]

Maybe islam and his coaches did there homework and saw a hole in volks defence after the first fight?

According to Mighty Mouse / GSP, since Volk is a shorter fighter, his field of vision of Islam is top-heavy, so a bottom kick would be harder to spot.
Also, Mighty Mouse said Volk defended from a bodyshot but didn't realize it was a high kick, so Islam was setting up the high kick from the beginning by alternating between mid and high making it harder for Volk to predict where it would land

 

[jackleeb]

Because Volk took Yair down, grappled him, made him tired.
Also, Volk, might be faster at FW.
Also, Islam has pretty good kicks.

I do agree he combines punches with kicks well.

But for some reason, Islam seems awkward with striking still. Maybe because he is flat-footed.

Whereas Yair is this flashy, dynamic kicker who can do roundhouse to the face quickly

 

[French Canadian]

Volk has always been susceptible to getting headkicked, as he only block them with one arm. It's a known fact. Yair got dominated by the grappling. Islam can just strike without thinking about getting taken down.

 

[jackleeb]

Volk has always been susceptible to getting headkicked, as he only block them with one arm. It's a known fact. Yair got dominated by the grappling. Islam can just strike without thinking about getting taken down.

So basically the "threat of the takedown" (as undefeated Uncle Chael says) made it harder for Volk to focus on Islam's striking, whereas with Yair, Volk could just focus on the striking?

 

[Kezta]

Mainly because of the takedown threat of islam.

When your main concern is to not get taken down, your striking defense is less effective.

Same reason why khabib knocked down Conor.

 

[Mike]

Because of the wrestling

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Cuz Islam set it up? Islam said he threw lower kicks and then body kicks and then a high kick which Volk almost blocked.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

i mean volk had a fight camp for the yair fight. trained. i dont think he beats yair on 10 day notice either.

 

[Dantemundus]

12 days notice, coming off surgery. Volk had love handles ffs. I was nervous when the fight was announced, it made no sense for him to take the fight - in hindsight, it was a bad decision. Topureira is no joke, I don’t see how volk is going to be in the right frame of mind for him after getting ko’ ed in one round.

 

[HNIC215]

Islam is built like 2-3 Yair’s.

 

[sanguinius]

According to Mighty Mouse / GSP, since Volk is a shorter fighter, his field of vision of Islam is top-heavy, so a bottom kick would be harder to spot.
Also, Mighty Mouse said Volk defended from a bodyshot but didn't realize it was a high kick, so Islam was setting up the high kick from the beginning by alternating between mid and high making it harder for Volk to predict where it would land

Mighty Mouse knows his shit. I’d love for him to get back with the ufc as an analyst or something. I hate how petty the ufc upper management can be.

 

[balkanbomber85]

Lets see, why was Islame able to do it while Yair wasn't?

Maybe because Volk accepted the fight on 11 days notice, coming directly off the couch after surgery, the birth of his daughter and making a lot of cooking + beer videos for Youtube, all while Islame knew since February that he would fight on the AD card and had time to recover, prepare, train and then just slip into a fight camp?

Islame said himself that he trained this kick many months for Charles, suggesting his preparation (not fight camp) started after Ramadan, giving him like 4 months to work on certain aspects of his game.

 

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

Makhachev is better than Rodriguez…

 

[bloodyknuck]

He thought he had it blocked- but fighting a guy like Islam on 12 days notice is absurd. He was shredded and Volk had love handles..