News Izzy opens up as the favorite vs Poatan

[ElLunico]

Really intriguing fight.. Izzy will have to do much more than throwing jabs and leg kicks against Pereira.

Pereira has the better hands. I like Izzy but I would but a couple hundo on Pereira by KO in this one.. Izzy's hands has not looked good in the last few fights. His combination punching hasn't been impressive lately.

Pereira has more fluidity with his strikes while Izzy been stiff and robotic the last few fights and seem hesitant to pull the trigger

 

[dominion]

I can't see how Izzy and Eugene will get caught by the same left hook. What other ways are there for Alex to win this fight? Jumping knee? Is his distance kicking game on point? Assuming he can't find the target for the left hook what else is there?

You know how hard it is to avoid a single left hook for an entire minute, let alone 25? It would take some extraordinary compensation that would leave you open for something else. Probably a right cross. Pereira has dynamite in both hands and kicks

 

[Gluhov]

Perhaps because Izzy has the much better gas tank than Pereira and it's a 5 round fight. Even for Pereira it won't exactly be easy to KO Izzy early.

Won't matter as this will be a fairly technical and methodical striking match.

 

[FlowchartRog]

It's a good thing you don't set the odds.

Exactly this way it's way better for people who want to bet on Alex

 

[BigFrankNgoatnnou]

adesanya is very strong in the clinch. he shoved cannonier aside and escaped any time jared tried to hold him against the cage. dude is a hell of an athlete.

I saw cannonier hold him for a few minutes against the cage landing knees in the later rounds. I don’t see Israel initiating the clinch and using the cage to land weak shots to catch his breath. He has good cardio and will use it with speed in the open to wear out Alex not wrestle in my opinion.

 

[dragonsfly]

His just 2 to 1 favourite that is very close fight according to the bookmakers

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

I saw cannonier hold him for a few minutes against the cage landing knees in the later rounds. I don’t see Israel initiating the clinch and using the cage to land weak shots to catch his breath. He has good cardio and will use it with speed in the open to wear out Alex not wrestle in my opinion.

i think he’ll need to mix it up to avoid getting timed but yes, i expect some of the usual izzy strategy as well.

 

[FlowchartRog]

Well you should be betting shitloads in that case.

At least 10k on Alex, so should you.

 

[Blazeblack]

I’m not sure how some of you guys are so sure that Alex has no shot, how this is “mma not kickboxing”. Dose anyone really think that Israel is going to start showing ncaa level wrestling? Let’s get real, it’s going to be a kickboxing fight in 4oz gloves. It’s going to be very competitive unless Potan lands a big shot clean, then it’s over.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

At least 10k on Alex, so should you.

I don't have that much to gamble, I guess you'll be posting your betting slip?

 

[FlowchartRog]

I don't have that much to gamble, I guess you'll be posting your betting slip?

Of course. I've never lost an MMA bet.

 

[eddiedingle]

I predict it would be a snoozefest

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

Izzy too shook to finish cannonier after he saw the Strickland KO. I’m betting the trailer (well, my room) on Alex

 

[Dorkman]

I think Izzy is better at a lot, but yeah I’m still interested in the fight

I just think Pereira is way overhyped, he shouldn’t even be fighting Izzy, a lot of guys could get a TS if they were given a few perfect matchups like Pereira has been

It's just not as big a deal in this case that he's getting fast tracked because izzy has already fought everyone else in the top 1-6 whether it was before, or after his title reign started. Twice in a couple of cases. Strickland was the literal only one he hadn't other than Cannonier who obviously he fought yesterday. So picking off Strickland what other match is there really as obviously Alex is probably taking stricklands spot in the rankings? You have to go to 7th rank Hermansson before you find a fresh match. And jack definitely dosen't deserve it. He's already fought 1 and 3 Whitakker and Vetorri twice each, just fought number 2 Cannonier. #4 strickland just got routed. And neither Brunson or Costa at 5-6 deserve rematches either. So it's either Alex, or take another stab at 205. If there wasn't so few options I doubt he'd be getting this streamline a fast tracking.

 

[Mesos]

Pereira is a stiff board - stuck in the mud. Izzy will dance around him and outpoint him 50-45 ez

stiff? you really didn't see how he torqued his entire body to deliver the maximum power in that KO punch? He flows beautifully with his strikes

Alex moves like an agile wildebeast lol

 

[FlowchartRog]

Foreman was pretty stiff looking too compared to most slippery, agile elite boxers.

Didn't stop him from knocking stiff almost everyone he fought

 

[frederick]

I can't see how Izzy and Eugene will get caught by the same left hook. What other ways are there for Alex to win this fight? Jumping knee? Is his distance kicking game on point? Assuming he can't find the target for the left hook what else is there?

He could land the left hook again with a little bit of setup. When guys perfect a technique it doesn't matter if you know it's coming.

 

[horseshoe_pass man]

Who tf is poatan

i have never seen the name poatan in my life until now

 

[You Will Vote For Dreyga]

Since Izzy became unified lineal champ only Paulo Costa opened up with closer odds (Izzy -140 / Costa +140) against Izzy

I don't think people realize how fucking insane this is. Alex would be in his 8th pro MMA fight...

Is it really that insane?? I mean this fight is gonna be a kickboxing fight with MMA gloves

 

[GearSolidMetal]

I wouldn't be shocked to see Izzy work a lot of clinch game and get inside to tie him up, pressing him into the cage and trying to tire him out. Alex is huge for 185. That's a ridiculous weight cut.

Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he works with Usman on takedowns & wrestling.

We were all shocked when Ngannou revealed a surprisingly decent groundgame just by working with Usman in his last fight camp.