One Thing Most Champions Have in Common...

[ForbiddenSun]

Admittedly, I left him out to support my argument. I truly believe Conor will beat him but that's an argument that has been done to death

Ronda? She pushes the pace

 

[VonHalen]

I feel like the pace is getting a lot faster and a lot less slow and calculated like they used to be. No hesitation and you have to think and be extremely fast on your feet. The days of the calculated counter striker are over.

A lot faster AND a lot less slow???

Lol, but seriously, I see your point. It's not bad. I think in general the key is making people play outside their comfort zones and play to YOUR strengths (GSP, for example. He'd beat you where you were weakest).

 

[ShackleMeNot]

Another thing they have in common is their shiny novelty belts

 

[ArtemV]

But McGregor is more of a paper champion than Cormier... undisputed > interim all day

 

[barillas]

Cain started this fashion, that's pretty much the best gameplan you can have, if you have good cardio for it.

 

[barillas]

A lot faster AND a lot less slow???

Lol, but seriously, I see your point. It's not bad. I think in general the key is making people play outside their comfort zones and play to YOUR strengths (GSP, for example. He'd beat you where you were weakest).

Cain was never a fast fighter, he doesn't have fast hand nor fast anything, but has an extremely fast pace, IYNWIM

 

[DaveHilly]

In the past a lot of champs were counter punchers. Anderson, probably the most prolific UFC champ, definitely did not push the pace but was happy to pick his shots and counter.

Aldo is a current example of that. Machida is a past example as well.

It just happens right now that a lot of the guys who hold belts use their wrestling a lot so that's why they're aggressive and push the pace because a big part of their games are to threaten takedowns, which you can't do from the outside very effectively.

It does seem to be cyclical though. Belts seems to pass between counter punchers/guys who fight well from distance and guys who move forward a lot.

Bendo was a pressure guy, lost to Pettis who is a master at picking his shots from the outside, lost to RDA who is in your face all the time. Etc.