Improved tremendously where though?
Takedown defense.
Getting back up methodically, and assuredly, when taken down.
MMA-efficient style suited to his particular body-type and strengths.
He got taken down by Jiri and controlled by Adesanya when he took himself down. Jan took him down repeatedly and controlled him at length. Bruno Silva took him down multiple times.
He was taken down
once by Jiří Procházka (first fight), but was
never taken down by Adesanya. (Adesanya reversed a Pereira-attempt, and did hold him down for a bit.)
Procházka failed in his second attempt, in his second fight. Pereira absolutely decimated Procházka the the second time, reading him properly, and improving dramatically ... compared to the first time were there were some pins-and-needles moments.
Jan couldn't keep Pereira down the first time, and just panic-wrestled the second time.
I would bet a million dollars to a penny, that Pereira would KO Jan now, especially in a 5-rounder. (Jan was about done at the end of the second, and again halfway into the third. Hence the lay-and-pray.)
He’s still highly flawed in certain areas but his striking/killer instinct/intangibles make up for it (thanks to some favorable match making as well, with not having to fight Ank as champ or guys like him on his ascent).
Pereira will destroy Ankalaev in a 5-rounder.
I said his TDD did improve somewhat and his submission defense he doesn’t panic and can defend better. Most of his improvements are in adapting his striking for MMA to better control distance without giving openings to wrestle/out-grapple him, and he’s improved his cardio/pacing/striking output as well.
We agree here, but you're not seeing his dramatic improvement to his whole style. He is literally learning on the job.
If you watch his first fight, that he lost, he was going for submissions and trying to be "a rounded MMA guy" ... whereas now, he is basically managing distance, preventing takedowns (or, getting up efficiently is taken-down) ... and keeping the fight in kickboxing range, where is skills are incomparable compared to his opponents (as are his physical advantages).
Pereira has literally developed
his own unique style, designed
specifically for his
gifts,
experience, and
body type.
. deuces, fam.
