Khamzat vs 155 Gilbert Burns

[MetaIIica]

I’m just confused at how Khamzat struggled more with a smaller fighter in Gilbert burns , compared to someone much larger in dricus du plessis. On paper you’d think dricus would do much better than burns or usman did, yet khamzat destroyed Ddp. Weird.

 

[Mammothman]

It happens, I think it was a bad fight IQ but anyone can have an off night, he still clearly won the fight.

 

[188912345]

I’m just confused at how Khamzat struggled more with a smaller fighter in Gilbert burns , compared to someone much larger in dricus du plessis. On paper you’d think dricus would do much better than burns or usman did, yet khamzat destroyed Ddp. Weird.

The stylistic matchup is very different.

Burns was a BJJ world champ, so Khamzat's coaches wanted him to strike with him.

He still took him down at will but let him up when Burns threatened subs from his back.

He likely could have won it by wrestling, too, if he committed to it.

Not to mention, that was purple belt Khamzat, this was black belt Khamzat.

 

[Tweak896]

What's the struggle to understand? Khamzat is a decent striker, but his main skill is wrestling. He didn't want to get subbed on ground by Burns because he's such a high level. But Burns has good hands. Khamzat still outstruck him.

 

[BoxingFan653]

I been saying it since the Gilbert fight that way too much weight was put into that fight and in large part due to Khamzat constantly saying Gilbert is too small.

I think the combination of the weight cut + Gilbert’s a great grappler + wanting to prove he can outstrike burns = that fight.

No fight has come close since. A lot of former champs have one of these fights where they experimented and it blew up in their face. I’m glad we can put that Gilbert fight behind us now because way too much weight has been put into it but I get the way fans think.

 

[pamirec]

Weight cut, experience and he’s gotten better. I personally thought DDP was gonna do better in the late rounds, but Khamzat’s improved his cardio.

 

[FrankDux]

I’m just confused at how Khamzat struggled more with a smaller fighter in Gilbert burns , compared to someone much larger in dricus du plessis. On paper you’d think dricus would do much better than burns or usman did, yet khamzat destroyed Ddp. Weird.

A few things:

1. Khamzat was killing himself making 170
2. Khamzat was overtraining earlier in his career and he was exhausted come fight time.
3. Khamzat actually trained his cardio the right way and started monitoring his heart rate all throughout camp (something he never did before).
4. Khamzat matured, had children, became wiser/smarter, especially in terms of gameplanning.
5. Khamzat tempered his mentality of "I'm gonna go all out and try to submit/ko this guy within first 10 seconds".
6. Khamzat didn't sustain any injuries this fight. Khamzat tore a ligament in his right hand when he fought Usman (and still grinded out the 3rd round and secured a TD and controlled Usman for nearly 3 minutes of that final round, who had only been taken down ONCE in his entire career prior to that fight).