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Everyone loves an underdog story. Most of the time however, favorites win. Just like in life. Rich gets richer, corrupt gets back in power, free-for-all society we live in. A tale as old as time.
I've been pulling for Merab for a while and I fully understand how little support he had around here. Now the narrative may have changed though which is more than deserved.
I was really okay with Merab ducking Umar if he didn't want that fight. He was getting a massive hate with all that ducking accusations. Umar looked better everywhere technically, except volume and pressure. Umar was a significant favorite probably because people ASSUMED that being from Khabib's camp and being a tremendous MMA grappler, he PROBABLY had at least three round cardio in him to keep up. Well, he didn't, broken hand, broken skull, snapped spine, whatever the reason was.
On paper, it felt like Merab was outgunned and outnumbered. A younger, undefeated opponent, a better striker on the feet, and who can match him in wrestling with a better submission game. As a matter of fact, Umar outwrestled Merab in the first two rounds and obviously outstruck him, though the fight in later rounds is more memorable. Umar had a massive hype behind him which Merab never had, no matter wins after wins he was collecting.
It got me wondering about what were other fights where the fighters were outgunned, outnumbered everywhere on paper, but ended up winning. Usually, Tito vs Bader comes to mind.
Tito was 9 years older, on a 0-4-1 streak before the fight, and would go 0-3 after the fight before his UFC exit. Bader was 12-1 coming off a loss only to Jon Jones. Bader looked like he had Tito beat in everywhere. But the fight happened and Tito pulled out a win out of nowhere.
I'm not talking about a match up where great wrestler is going up against a subpar td guy, or a guy with a great tdd is going against a good wrestler with subpar striking. I'm talking about a fight where the other guy is essentially a better version of himself. And when you go up against a better version of yourself, unless it's a movie, and life ain't one, you likely lose.
For me, Frank Mir vs Nogueira was kinda like that too. It was a while ago, and the outcome was so definitive, so it's hard to imagine now in hindsight, but it felt like Nogueira was literally better everywhere imaginable. He closed around -400 back then for the first fight, for reference. It felt like Frank Mir was just a stepping stone, but that stepping stone wasn't going down without swinging, and down went the other guy.
What do you think were the fights where the other guy looked totally outclassed everywhere but pulled out a win?
I've been pulling for Merab for a while and I fully understand how little support he had around here. Now the narrative may have changed though which is more than deserved.
I was really okay with Merab ducking Umar if he didn't want that fight. He was getting a massive hate with all that ducking accusations. Umar looked better everywhere technically, except volume and pressure. Umar was a significant favorite probably because people ASSUMED that being from Khabib's camp and being a tremendous MMA grappler, he PROBABLY had at least three round cardio in him to keep up. Well, he didn't, broken hand, broken skull, snapped spine, whatever the reason was.
On paper, it felt like Merab was outgunned and outnumbered. A younger, undefeated opponent, a better striker on the feet, and who can match him in wrestling with a better submission game. As a matter of fact, Umar outwrestled Merab in the first two rounds and obviously outstruck him, though the fight in later rounds is more memorable. Umar had a massive hype behind him which Merab never had, no matter wins after wins he was collecting.
It got me wondering about what were other fights where the fighters were outgunned, outnumbered everywhere on paper, but ended up winning. Usually, Tito vs Bader comes to mind.
Tito was 9 years older, on a 0-4-1 streak before the fight, and would go 0-3 after the fight before his UFC exit. Bader was 12-1 coming off a loss only to Jon Jones. Bader looked like he had Tito beat in everywhere. But the fight happened and Tito pulled out a win out of nowhere.
I'm not talking about a match up where great wrestler is going up against a subpar td guy, or a guy with a great tdd is going against a good wrestler with subpar striking. I'm talking about a fight where the other guy is essentially a better version of himself. And when you go up against a better version of yourself, unless it's a movie, and life ain't one, you likely lose.
For me, Frank Mir vs Nogueira was kinda like that too. It was a while ago, and the outcome was so definitive, so it's hard to imagine now in hindsight, but it felt like Nogueira was literally better everywhere imaginable. He closed around -400 back then for the first fight, for reference. It felt like Frank Mir was just a stepping stone, but that stepping stone wasn't going down without swinging, and down went the other guy.
What do you think were the fights where the other guy looked totally outclassed everywhere but pulled out a win?
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