Isn’t strange that Luke never

true_fan

Gold Belt
@Gold
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
16,307
Reaction score
7,752
Learned how to wrestle and take his opponents down and just submit them instead of turning into a kickboxer with bad defense( with all those years at AKA)? What do u think the reasons that kept him from evolving?
 
His big dong gets in the way when he goes for a double or single leg.

Other than that, he always thinks his standup is Godlike and wants to trade until he realizes he is getting tagged left and right and then it's too late to switch things up.
 
Last edited:
He has 0 way to chain Tds and close the distance.

People will make fun of me but imo Luke should develop a style similar to Hall to avoid his flaws in boxing and chain wrestling
 
Not really gonna be constructive here but honestly I have no fucking idea . He could wreck MW's shit to this day if he relied on his grappling. Hell he'd even do solid at LHW today . like a more athletic Glover with some nice kicks but less of a chin
 
A true samurai like Luke doesn't wrestle
mqdefault.jpg
 
Why did Jake Shields never develop explosive striking?



The above is obviously more extreme example, but still, people have limits they can't easily breach, especially when they're training dozens of other things.
 
Hasn’t Dana taught you by now? Grappling is boring and striking is the only way to get fans and become exciting.

Plus striking is less physically demanding than grinding takedowns.
 
Absolutely, he could developed his grinding style like gsp and win fights. He is by far the best wrassler in the division. Still not too late.
 
He has 0 way to chain Tds and close the distance.

People will make fun of me but imo Luke should develop a style similar to Hall to avoid his flaws in boxing and chain wrestling
HIS F'N TEAM MATE'S ARE ALL SUPERIOR WRESTLERS!!!! DAMMIT LUKE WTF ARE U DOING!! sorry i yelled but i honestly thought he could've been one of the best. his ego destroyed his career.
 
Probably the typical scenario where a guy can get by with porous defense as long as his chin holds up.
I agree. I'm borrowing this from "Heavy Hands" podcast - MMA fighters seem to develop striking offense early in their career (and even then, just a few basic techniques and not serious feints/ footwork), and leave learning defense for last. Often, by the time they have learned decent striking defense, they have already taken too much damage and/or are past their athletic peak.
 
I've thought this about him and Rory, who also had a fantastic top game but not the td power to reliably use it. Don't think it helps that both guys are much more comfortable striking from range and don't do as well in the pocket, makes it harder for them to close the distance.
 
Hard to learn effective wrestling if you only get dominated all the time.
 
Last edited:
In theory you're right but fights aren't fought on paper. They involve human beings with their own perception of their abilities and how they should use them. Being able to adapt your style to your skillset and your opponent is easier said then done. The proof is in the countless MMA fighters out there who have failed to do it.
 
Yep his defense is what destroyed his career. His offense was actually pretty good, and so was his grappling, but you cant leave your chin in the air like that. Unfortunately hes totally done now. Noone comes back from 4 brutal KO losses better than they were before.
 
Learned how to wrestle and take his opponents down and just submit them instead of turning into a kickboxer with bad defense( with all those years at AKA)? What do u think the reasons that kept him from evolving?
Strange is the nice word for it.

Some takedowns might have saved him from having his chin completely exposed. Just watching what he did to Weidman after he was gifted the takedown was bonkers. Maybe he wanted to be the cool striker kid at AKA but when you have all those wrestlers in camp with you learn something ffs. His clinch game and takedowns from there are fine though. I hope he has a decent gameplan for Strickland or he is gonna get peppered all night long and killt.
 
What I found even weirder is how he insist in fighting with his hands downs like he is Silva or some shit, I'm like... "dude wtf!!?? Hasn't you been KO'd many times to insist having your hands down?" ego or not I feel this guy have zero self awareness.
 
Back
Top