Not enough talk about a FW fighting a LW small WW

[Dream20]

If Conor was so good at WW or LW then why would he go through hell to cut down to 145? He is now fighting someone who is debating if he is too big for 155 or too small for 170.


I think the size difference will have a huge impact on this fight. At a minimum it raises questions where you just can't be certain one guy is going to destroy the other.

 

[Leinster Rugby]

because he can, quite successfully.

he never missed weight and became the divisions champion.

why would he NOT go through hell to get to 145 if those were the results?

 

[MechMA]

UFC asked Conor to fight at 145.

Conor prefers 155

The talk of 170 is only because fighting Lawler is a win-win...

If he wins, people can claim he is the GOAT and for once it may ring some truth.
If he loses, he lost to the champ TWO weight classes above him, still gets a fuckin fat paycheck, and it doesn't mess up the RDA fight

 

[Scheme]

Can you really not muster up the brain power to figure this out?

 

[VAfan]

it will make a big difference when he fights grapplers / wrestlers. not so much with nate in all likelihood.

there's a reason why he's fighting a striker (with limited power) for his first fight at LW.

 

[UkraineFreightTrain]

I feel like Conor has tricked everyone into thinking that he's already adjusted to the weight difference

Victories over Aldo and Mendes don't leapfrog you to the top of 2 more weightclasses

 

[NikLuk]

I feel like Conor has tricked everyone into thinking that he's already adjusted to the weight difference

Victories over Aldo and Mendes don't leapfrog you to the top of 2 more weightclasses

I would say it does - not the victories over said fighters, but in being the champ. What other champion is taking that risk? Taking that risk should, and does, come with some privileges. Not having to fight your way up from the bottom being the main one. And I don't see the problem with that (especially since only one person is taking that risk).

 

[drkaratekid]

If a fighter can become champion of a weight class (and KO the possible #1 p4p king in 13 secs) not to mention beat other top fighters in that class while never missing weight then I feel they are MORE than appropriate for that class. People saying Conor is too big for FW and is a natural LW or WW etc etc don't understand that if he is that successful in a class and has never missed weight there is nothing wrong with him being there. "Natural weight classes" are myths I believe because people fluctuate in weight so much and body types and bone structures vary so much that you cannot simply place someone in a weight class based on that. There are many examples of larger/smaller fighters fighting in different weight classes and being successful doing so. The fact that a champion, such a high profile champion at that, is going up in weight to fight a non champion says a lot about his attitude and character as a fighter.

 

[LilNubi]

In this fight I don't think the weight will play a big part. If he was fighting someone like Wonderboy or Hendricks it'd be a lot different and a reason to discuss. Nate is a 155'er as is Connor.

 

[IBeLurkin]

Wtf?? Practically every thread on here is about this topic...

 

[Sage NorthGOAT]

If i was an MMA fighter, id overtrain the muscles that suit my particular bread&butter skillset while undertraining the rest of my body. Diet down to single-digit bodyfat%, and dehydrate into the smallest weightclass possible where i have the reach and height advantage while still making weight.

(IMO) Its just a smarter approach than bulking my entire body and inflating my body weight with excess muscle mass im not actually using to win.

If i cant kick, why would i pack 15lbs of muscle on my legs when i could pack 15lbs of muscle on my chest/shoulders/arms instead? If im a kickboxer, why would i train my back equal to my front like a wrestler or bodybuilder probably does?

If im in a life & death fight, i want every advantage that im allowed to have.

 

[Xplosive-Viking]

I feel like Conor has tricked everyone into thinking that he's already adjusted to the weight difference

Victories over Aldo and Mendes don't leapfrog you to the top of 2 more weightclasses

not not two, but it leapfrogs ONE, which was the plan all along.. He beat aldo who beat former 155 champ in frankie edgard.

If he beat RDA impressivly he leapfrogs to titleshot at WW, Easily.

 

[El Fernas]

There isnt enough talk? I can see a few threads about it, thing is, Conor is not actually fighting a WW, he is fighting a LW at a 170lbs catchweight.

UFC asked Conor to fight at 145.

Conor prefers 155

The talk of 170 is only because fighting Lawler is a win-win...

If he wins, people can claim he is the GOAT and for once it may ring some truth.
If he loses, he lost to the champ TWO weight classes above him, still gets a fuckin fat paycheck, and it doesn't mess up the RDA fight

I dont agree with that, people would lose interest in him, sure he will still be a big attraction in his following fight, but losing to Lawler smokes his chances at fighting RDA right after IMO, not in the future once he goes back down to 145 to defend the belt 1-2 times, the Lawler fight would be the super fight to make if Conor beats RDA, not before that.

 

[TheComebackKid]

Conor is a LW tho

 

[Liquid Smoke]

Maybe Conor is just sick of cutting weight.