Media McGregor Has 'Bad Grappling: Myth?

[Thickfreakness]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. I had a discussion on a show I run about Conor McGregor's grappling. In particular, the common assertion that it's bad. I find that most analysts (and fans) go back to this talking-point when assessing his skills. And I think that it's unfounded based on the evidence that we have.

Here's the short clip.



In my view, his grappling overall is quite good. The word itself, 'grappling', is used in a very broad sense, because there's a lot to it. And he's better at certain things than others. But I don't see it as being a major hole in his game. And he's proven that over the years.

He was submitted by Diaz, but, let's be real, he lost that fight on the feet. He resigned himself to his fate because he was about to get smashed by strikes. And even if you disagree with that, I'd argue that getting subbed by Diaz isn't a suitable measuring stick. And the same applies to Khabib. He did OK in some exchanges against him (minus the blatant fouls). But, either way, context is key, and the context is he was fighting Khabib.

I think he has many problems, perhaps his cardio above all else, but I don't think his grappling is his primary concern.

What do you think?

 

[THE BMF]

I believe it’s slightly below average for championship level fighters. It’s not non existent as some say and it’s not secretly amazing as others say.

People look at these things too black and white imo.

 

[Thickfreakness]

I believe it’s slightly below average for championship level fighters. It’s not non existent as some say and it’s not secretly amazing as others say.

People look at these things too black and white imo.

I said the exact same thing re: your black and white comment. A lot of people think skills are a zero-sum game for some strange reason - either they're great or terrible.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

He is a good grappler and his TDD is really really good.

Who does not get grapplefucked by Khabib at 155?

 

[UFCFreak89]

I thought he did really well in round 1 of the khabib fight.

 

[PaleMoonlight]

His touch butt training puts him above average:

Weathered storm against last minute Mendes

Lasted longer than Porier against Kabob.

Vato Diaz had hard time with takedown in 2nd fight. Diaz was bigger than him too.

 

[Crom Cruach]

The two world class grapplers he faced sliced through his TDD with ease.

He has fought mostly strikers.

 

[Spath]

People compare his striking to his ground game, which is why they think it’s not good. He’s a damn good striker and his striking is obviously better than his grappling.

His grappling isn’t bad by any means. I’d say that there are plenty of guys in the UFC who he could outgrapple, but as he would also get squished by some elite grapplers he’s not seen as a very crafted grappler. There aren’t too many guys who could just fight him standing and beat him.

Pettis has very good BJJ and is very dangerous on the ground. Nate Diaz tooled him and made it look easy... So getting handled on the ground against Diaz (and Khabib) is... normal. Is normal.

 

[THE BMF]

I said the exact same thing re: your black and white comment. A lot of people think skills are a zero-sum game for some strange reason - either they're great or terrible.

Yea we seen that Conor has a decent clinch game, tdd against Eddie and solid bjj game is his sweep of Diaz and keeping khabib brutal GNP neutralised in round 1 but he doesn’t have an aggressive sub game especially of his back I don’t think I have every seen him through up a submission which is bad for a bjj brown belt, and when fights go on he gets taken down easier as seen by khabib.

He is too divisive a figure to have a genuine discussion about his skills on here i have found out.

Btw I’ll give your video a watch in a bit I am subscribed.

 

[Drugstore Cowboy]

Superb clincher (one of the best ever), positionally outstanding, well equipped with sweeps and passing, nearly impossible to submit while fresh.

 

[Furious77]

Its just average. It doesn't stand out from anyone else in his division.

 

[Moral Victory]

He is a pretty good grappler.

Even long ago when he tore his (acl?) Against Max and had to resort to wrestling and grappling he did really good, very slick, go watch it.

People think he has bad grappling but its because he is usually put in those bad positions when he's fatigued, which is his real weakness.

 

[superpunch]

His ground game -- like his BJJ -- isn't bad. His problem is that he has very bad wresting for championship level fights. Other strikers like Aldo have much better TDD. That means that non-manlet championship level grapplers will grapple fuck him all day.

 

[Aberlour]

Superb clincher (one of the best ever), positionally outstanding, well equipped with sweeps and passing, nearly impossible to submit while fresh.

He's been submitted twice in the first round.

 

[Xoleth]

It's a myth.
He has decent grappling.
Khabib needed 4 rounds to finish him.
Eddie, who is considered a good grappler here, I don't know why, couldn't take him down and beat him on the ground (I remember he tried)

 

[SharpasaRazor]

His grappling overall between BJJ and TDD is decent.

I think when people say for instance that Cowboy wants to try and get him on the ground that is conflated with saying he’s dire there. When actually it’s about the fact that for someone with high level ground game you would clearly rather be there with him than in boxing range.

In short it is an aspect of his game where he competent but not outstanding, maybe TDD excepted, while his striking is phenomenal.

 

[ftpngo]

Connor is a decent grappler who at times vunerable to being held down by high level wrestlers. Connor's problem is his cardio.

Anderson was a high level striker with a good ground game who is vunerable to being held down by elite wrestlers (very different styles). The difference is after second round Connor stops being dangerous.

 

[Oldman1]

I'm not listening to these nerds

 

[Furious77]

People compare his striking to his ground game, which is why they think it’s not good. He’s a damn good striker and his striking is obviously better than his grappling.

His grappling isn’t bad by any means. I’d say that there are plenty of guys in the UFC who he could outgrapple, but as he would also get squished by some elite grapplers he’s not seen as a very crafted grappler. There aren’t too many guys who could just fight him standing and beat him.

Pettis has very good BJJ and is very dangerous on the ground. Nate Diaz tooled him and made it look easy... So getting handled on the ground against Diaz (and Khabib) is... normal. Is normal.

Don't really get the Pettis comparison, Pettis is always in bad positions on the ground but he's never really been close to being subbed and he's reversed nearly everyone who's ever taken his back. How did he get "tooled"?

 

[Spath]

Don't really get the Pettis comparison, Pettis is always in bad positions on the ground but he's never really been close to being subbed and he's reversed nearly everyone who's ever taken his back. How did he get "tooled"?

It’s been some time since I watched that fight, but Nate kept passing, advancing and putting Pettis in bad positions. He landed some strikes on the ground too.

I think Pettis gets usually put in bad positions on the ground by good wrestlers. Just like how Nate has lost some fights on the ground, against good/great wrestlers with strength to go with it.

I think the point was that Nate has great jiu jitsu. People seem to think that losing to Nate on the ground means you’re not much of a grappler, which is simply not true.