Khamzat’s stamina vs pacing

[DatSamboKid]

Many are criticizing Khamzat's cardio, leading me to start this discussion. I think there's confusion between poor cardiovascular fitness and poor fight pacing. Often, it's more about pacing. Look at fighters like Khamzat Chimaev or Conor McGregor; they begin the fight with such intensity. Sprinting isn't sustainable. For instance, an elite 1500m runner who sprints the first 400m will tire and get overtaken later on. To me, it's evident that Khamzat doesn't lack cardio, but he struggles with pacing. He gives his all in the first round, and if he can't finish the opponent, his intensity drops in subsequent rounds. Without correcting this, he may struggle in longer bouts.

Yoel Romero, for instance, initially went full throttle in his early UFC matches but later adjusted his pacing after soiling himself against Brunson, leading to better outcomes in extended fights.

 

[OldBoy91]

So basically he is going to 10-8 everyone in the 1st and then barely hold on in rounds 2 and 3 and get finished in the championship rounds?

Works for me.

 

[Milenkovic]

If you look at his fights prior to the ufc he has had conditioning and cardio issues at times, cause it’s all explosions.

think Conor but from a grappling standpoint

 

[Bojka]

He was more tired than I would've expected for someone who sat in back mount/body triangle for the entire 1st round.

 

[Tweak896]

I think he was hurt. He was winging haymakers for 3 rounds with Burns. His output actually increased each round too in that fight.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

He front loads because generally it has always worked.

But he won't be able to get away with it against the championship caliber fighters who can weather a storm, especially at MW.

 

[Jackonfire]

Cardio is why he ducked Nate Diaz

 

[FrappeDuRocma]

Cardio is why he ducked Nate Diaz

Yeah sure...

 

[rjmbrd]

Usman came off the couch with zero notice, flew across the world and made it competitive.

Khamzat will absolutely lose to guys in 5 round fights who can shuck off the initial onslaught. He still isn't facing actual middleweights. Usman was tagging him, stuffing take downs and taking over despite zero preparation.

If that were a Costa powered human hitting him, he's going down like when Burns tagged him.

 

[SharpasaRazor]

It’s a mix of both - who knows what effect the Covid issues had on his cardio.

He was way more tired in rounds 2 and 3 that you’d expect for someone who was in backmount for most of round 1.

 

[don't ask]

I don't know if it's cardio or pacing, but hopefully we get to see him in another straightforward fight against a top guy. I'm not sure he's any better than the Khamzat who beat Burns and it's hard to tell with all these shenanigans around his matchmaking.

 

[Mickf]

Usman came off the couch with zero notice, flew across the world and made it competitive.

Khamzat will absolutely lose to guys in 5 round fights who can shuck off the initial onslaught. He still isn't facing actual middleweights. Usman was tagging him, stuffing take downs and taking over despite zero preparation.

If that were a Costa powered human hitting him, he's going down like when Burns tagged him.

When i watched the kevin holland fight. I was thinkin if kevin can just survive the first round I think he can win it. I think khamzat went even harder in that one cos he didn't believe kevin could survive his initial onslaught.
If that had of went to a second round khamzat would of been less than half the fighter he was in the first imo.

 

[SamuraiBro]

He was more tired than I would've expected for someone who sat in back mount/body triangle for the entire 1st round.

That’s what confused me, it’s not like he had several takedowns and Usman kept getting up.

 

[Kohelet]

maybe it's related to his past disease (covid)

 

[modulus]

Stamina or pacing whatever, the fact is Khamzat has yet to go past 3 rounds - let's see where he's at when it happens.

Before the Burns fight, Khamzat was this unbeatable, untouchable, unstoppable fighter that was finishing everyone............ now, not so much.

 

[Harlekin]

Wasn't throwing a lot of gnp.
Will have major problems in rounds 4 and 5.
Usman would've won with 2 more rounds.
If he were in Usman's position, he wouldn't make it out of round 2.

"long covid" can mean you got some other remaining viruses in your body, that act up because your immune system is down.

Great win though, congratz.

 

[Stuart0502]

He was more tired than I would've expected for someone who sat in back mount/body triangle for the entire 1st round.

Having a guy on your back whilst you literally walk around is one of the most cardio disadvantageous positions in the sport.

Chimaev finished the first takedown from a hard position but he should have recovered in the four minutes after that.

Horrible post OP, pacing is a real thing but Chimaev is a guy with dodgy cardio, no doubt about it.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

Cardio is why he ducked Nate Diaz

I didn t know you could be a mod as a troll.

 

[Joshuaace]

When you consistently tire faster than the opponent while you are winning, that's a cardio concern not a pacing issue.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

I know Usman is NOT an easy guy to hold down for any man, so even though he had dominant position control round one, doesn’t mean he wasn’t working his ass off for it

And yes, I agree about pacing. He got to the “big show” fighting that way does, and steam-rolling mofos is his M.O.

These type of fighters have come and go many times over for us old school mma fans. Why criticize and instead feast on the violence it can bring?

Im all for it win or lose, War Khamzat!