My take is that WB is so durable at his age because he spars light in camp, treats his body well

[kingmob6]

Wonderboy was crossing his feet and in midair when Anthony caught him. Absolutely in no position to take a shot. Anyone who thinks the Pettis KO was a chin issue has never trained a day in their life. It was much more Wonderboy completely off balance and Anthony's explosiveness and timing.



He's eaten clean hard shots from Brown, Ellenberger, Luque, TWood, Masvidal, Burns... All heavy hitters. His chin has always been good.

aye, someone who knows whats up. His chin is solid. That pettis KO was a perfect conglomeration of bio-mechanics, skill and luck. Made me a bit sad being a fan of Wonderboy, but fight is a fight, and Pettis landed it, so he gets the carrot.

 

[KBE6EKCTAH_CCP]

Obviously guys like Wanderlei or Shogun have been in countless wars in camps and in the ring. Their chin have been more than tested.

Wonderboy said a while ago that he didn't need to spar hard in his gym cause he had to preserve his integrity.

His elusive style also allows him to have the longevity a brawler doesn't necessarily have. His speed was impressive against Holland.

Can you appreciate this approach from a fighter ? Or do you value more kill or be killed fighters like the Diaz bros or Lawler for example ?

WB is a very good fighter and a specimen. Very few man can be that nimble at 39.

But his style gets wrecked by wrestlers generally. And eventually by pressure fighters.

 

[OldBoy91]

Wonderboy was crossing his feet and in midair when Anthony caught him. Absolutely in no position to take a shot. Anyone who thinks the Pettis KO was a chin issue has never trained a day in their life. It was much more Wonderboy completely off balance and Anthony's explosiveness and timing.



He's eaten clean hard shots from Brown, Ellenberger, Luque, TWood, Masvidal, Burns... All heavy hitters. His chin has always been good.

Absolutely, but sometimes after the first time you go out it becomes easier to get KOed again and again. At WBs age it was worrying seeing him go out and knowing he was going to keep fighting.

Was more worried about his durability moving forward than the circumstances of the Pettis KO itself.

 

[RoyJonesJr]

• Defensive style based on not getting hit
• Probably doesn't spar heavily
• Seems very mobile and nimble (Flexible?)

 

[sss133]

It’s kinda interesting. Every big shot he’s taken apart from Pettis has been on the forehead and kinda crunches his neck into his shoulders like those old action figurines. The shot holland landed was very similar to the shot Woodley landed in their draw.

 

[Brit_Brawler]

I'm happy he's so durable at his age. I was worried his chin might be gone when Pettis sparked him out with one punch. Pettis isn't known for having power in his hands and he one shotted WB. But he's looked very durable since. Burns hit him with everything and didn't hurt him as bad as he hurt Khamzat.

Just goes to show how it isn't all about power, getting hit right on the button is how you shut guys' lights out.

I'd fancy wonderboys chances in a rematch as well

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

Makes sense if you look at a lot of interviews of fighters that retired they say that if they could change anything it would be the heavy sparring

 

[deadshot138]

Makes sense if you look at a lot of interviews of fighters that retired they say that if they could change anything it would be the heavy sparring

The old school mindset was training had to be harder than the fight. Thankfully that seems to have gone away.

 

[don't ask]

The old school mindset was training had to be harder than the fight. Thankfully that seems to have gone away.

I've read that from the forties to the sixties there was an style of boxing (I think out of Philly) that was the exact opposite: these fighters saw boxing as a job and if they were injured they couldn't make money, so they became masters of winning fights without taking damage. That way they could go back out a few weeks later and do it again. Mayweather is the last real master of this lineage.

I've always wondered if it's possible for a similar style to happen in MMA. I guess it would be the MFS point-fighting strategy.

 

[deadshot138]

I've read that from the forties to the sixties there was an style of boxing (I think out of Philly) that was the exact opposite: these fighters saw boxing as a job and if they were injured they couldn't make money, so they became masters of winning fights without taking damage. That way they could go back out a few weeks later and do it again. Mayweather is the last real master of this lineage.

I've always wondered if it's possible for a similar style to happen in MMA. I guess it would be the MFS point-fighting strategy.

I'm talking about MMA training circa 2008 lol

 

[don't ask]

I'm talking about MMA training circa 2008 lol

lol your talk about old school MMA clubs like The Lions Den and Chute Boxe reminded me of old school boxing. I've just always been in awe of that boxing style and why it was created, wondering if that could happen in MMA.

Jeremy Horn had a crazy amount of high-level fights. He could be a model for it.

 

[OldBoy91]

I'd fancy wonderboys chances in a rematch as well

Oh he would kill current Pettis lol. It wouldn't be pretty.

 

[Plissken]

It's true. But Machida seemed to get slower with age more noticably. And he used to be one of the most elusive fighters.

Machida's heavier, probably a bit more stress on the body due to that and the fact that he grapples a lot more. Machida also was fighting at LHW for a chunk of his career when he wasn't even a good size for middleweight (probably closer to some larger Welterweights like Leon and Holland or larger Welterweights that went to Middleweight like Whittaker, Till, and Gastelum). Add to that that he's had a good amount more mma fights (5-6 more at the same age in 39- just shy of 40 years old, so unless Wonderboy fights again before he's 40 sometime in February Machida will have had 6 more fights prior to hitting 40 years old) on top of his previous striking career (which Thompson also had), so add that stress on top of spending most of his career at LHW and it takes more of a toll.
They also have different styles. There are similarities, but they are practicing different types of karate. Machida's is a bit more rooted due to several factors (one being his trips, sweeps, throws, and grappling entries and well as his stronger td defense) so there's probably more joint stress due to that as well.

 

[VAfan]

he doesn't get hit much in fights, so that tends to work towards better longevity. his fight miles are easier on him than with some other guys. but the speed he still has for a guy pushing 40 is what's so amazing. he doesn't look like he's lost much of a step at all.