Poatan Beats Ankalaev

[Sean Chowdhury]

ankalaev straight left and body kick are good tools for him on the feet, there's a reason he hasn't been outboxed or seriously hurt in the UFC so far, he is very defensively sound and accurate. Pereira can beat up his legs but I can see anaklaev stinging him with left straights and shooting a double leg if things get too difficult which is what he did against jan albeit too late into the fight

 

[WelcometoHell]

I'm sorry you don't comprehend the joke.

that was supposed to be funny?

 

[jk7707]

Can someone give me the Ankalaev fight where he used his wrestling most effectively? I haven't watched a huge number of his fights and I keep hearing about it, but I haven't seen one where he's been dominant with his wrestling.

 

[Iroh]

These poatan nuthuggers can only define things in either you are a sttiker or you are Khabib. It's the most used strawman and false dichotomy, in the last 2 years or so, on here.

 

[moreorless87]

I am on the same side as you. I want Alex to win this fight. But I think a lot of people are heavily underestimating Ankalaevs hands here and his ability to add the grappling threat. Alex is a great striker no question, but it's not like he can't be hit. I can see Ankalaev landing some big, he's got the precision and power in his boxing game.

I feel like there maybe underestimating his striking but overestimating his grappling and Alex's potential weakness to it.

The problem I see him having standing with Alex is that whilst he's definately a good striker he seems like a somewhat worse version of Alex to me, at least Alex when he played a stalking game. Both very tidy kickboxers, good lowkicks and powerful counters but I think ALex lowkicks are just that much more punishing and his counters are that bit stronger and more consistent.

That can sometimes be the worst matchup IMHO, facing a guy who's just that bit better than you at your strenghts.

Grappling is somewhat of an unknown I'd agree but I think tis far from the obvious path to victory for Ank a lot of people make it out to be.

 

[Domitian]

Ankalaev is the betting favorite in this fight, and rightfully so. On paper, this is Pereira's toughest fight in his entire career - Ankalaev is much more dangerous than Adesanya and everyone else Pereira has ever faced. I'm picking him (Ankalaev) to dominate Pereira and win by decision.

The line keeps changing as money comes in. Ankalaev was -115 yesterday and now he's +100 with Alex at -120 on my site. Money is apparently coming in on Alex, and those who did their research as TS points out are likely the reason.

 

[Domitian]

I feel like there maybe underestimating his striking but overestimating his grappling and Alex's potential weakness to it.

The problem I see him having standing with Alex is that whilst he's definately a good striker he seems like a somewhat worse version of Alex to me, at least Alex when he played a stalking game. Both very tidy kickboxers, good lowkicks and powerful counters but I think ALex lowkicks are just that much more punishing and his counters are that bit stronger and more consistent.

That can sometimes be the worst matchup IMHO, facing a guy who's just that bit better than you at your strenghts.

Grappling is somewhat of an unknown I'd agree but I think tis far from the obvious path to victory for Ank a lot of people make it out to be.

This sums it up pretty well. This is most likely going to be a striking affair with Ankalaev maybe getting 1 or 2 takedowns during the fight. Magomed is actually a pretty good striker and the disparity in skill in that area isn't all that wide. I would not be surprised at all to see Ank get a knockout here. But a 5 round wrestlefuck? Hell naw.

 

[moreorless87]

This sums it up pretty well. This is most likely going to be a striking affair with Ankalaev maybe getting 1 or 2 takedowns during the fight. Magomed is actually a pretty good striker and the disparity in skill in that area isn't all that wide. I would not be surprised at all to see Ank get a knockout here. But a 5 round wrestlefuck? Hell naw.

Alex is definately hittable and he's also getting old so yeah I don't think an Ank finish is impossible at all even if I think its less likely.

I think a few factors have become together here for so many to think that Anks grappling is the the major factor here....

1.MMA fans tend to get stuck repeating a certain arguement, Alex being vunerable to grappling was heavily pushed when he was very green to MMA, he's not green anymore but people cling to it.
2.Ank is a Dagistani and so its viewed that grappling is his main strenght.
3.Alex is strongly disliked by Izzys fanbase and the idea he's ducking someone who could easily beat him appeals to them.

I mean I wouldnt rule out grappling being a factor but the idea Ank can just push to the cage, get easy takedown and finish? not born out by what we've seen from either man IMHO.

 

[Hank Grill]

This is just the Sean Strickland type of guy to upend our lad. If we all collectively think Poatan is fucked the JBG will rule against us.

 

[Domitian]

Alex is definately hittable and he's also getting old so yeah I don't think an Ank finish is impossible at all even if I think its less likely.

I think a few factors have become together here for so many to think that Anks grappling is the the major factor here....

1.MMA fans tend to get stuck repeating a certain arguement, Alex being vunerable to grappling was heavily pushed when he was very green to MMA, he's not green anymore but people cling to it.
2.Ank is a Dagistani and so its viewed that grappling is his main strenght.
3.Alex is strongly disliked by Izzys fanbase and the idea he's ducking someone who could easily beat him appeals to them.

I mean I wouldnt rule out grappling being a factor but the idea Ank can just push to the cage, get easy takedown and finish? not born out by what we've seen from either man IMHO.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

The rumors are that Pereira is given strikers/easy opponents for him on purpose so that he has an easier title run

What Pereira did and still does is no joke and I personally still have respect for him because he wanted to take fights on short notice numerous times and saved events, fought opponents not even his

But the people who have 'done their research' about Ankalaev all agree that he is a striker first and foremost so they don't see Alex losing to him

I don't either

Who do you think is a harder matchup for Pereira?

love Poatan, he is a star, way bigger than Ank, but this is mma, Ank is winning this fight, end of story,.

 

[hogwash]

Just echoing the fact that ThaiSexPills has never touched a grown woman

A grown Thai ladyboy, perhaps

 

[Pious Augustus]

If Anklaev was named Jon Smith, nobody would be predicting he wins. But since he’s a neckbeard, they tell themselves he’s a LHW Khabib.

The reality is he’s a limited kickboxer with kind of poor mma wrestling. Alex should be able to feast on his legs and knock him out. Anklaev’s only chance is to grab Alex and hold on for dear life.

poor MMA wrestling is enough to beat him

 

[sanguinius]

Shaving a moustache doesn't make it a nekbeard, silly

Ankalaev can grow a full, actual beard

Neckbeard is a term reserved for people who cannot grow a full beard on their CHEEKS

Hence the inclusion of the word "neck"

The more you know

Neckbeard is for people that don't shave their necks.

Hence the inclusion of the word "neck".

 

[BJJ4Tone]

His striking is effective but yeah, it’s limited compared to Alex. His wrestling, the little he’s shown hasn’t been great either. He does enough to just beat people. The Rakic fight is an example of that.

Not saying he’s a bad fighter but he’s not elite at anything and is in a weak division.

He has 6 finishes and 5 decisions and one draw (and 1 n/c).
50% finish rate, in MY opinion, is better than doing "enough to just beat people".
Of course he's gonna fight super conservative against Rakic. Rakic is dangerous and he isn't gonna risk fucking up his 12-fight unbeaten streak. Not when he should have had a title fight already.

I understand your points, but I don't understand disparaging arguably the best fighter in the division. And if he loses to Pereira, he's still probably the SECOND-best fighter in the division!

 

[hogwash]

Lol no, if that was the case you'd call anyone that doesn't shave their neck like a metrosexual, a neckbeard

People like Alex Emilianenko and Roy Nelson dont shave their necks for example, with full beards. In no realm would you refer to either as a neckbeard

Your lil urbandictionary enty isnt the end all be all case, sorry

Neckbeard is for people that don't shave their necks.

Hence the inclusion of the word "neck".

 

[ThaiSexPills]

He has 6 finishes and 5 decisions and one draw (and 1 n/c).
50% finish rate, in MY opinion, is better than doing "enough to just beat people".
Of course he's gonna fight super conservative against Rakic. Rakic is dangerous and he isn't gonna risk fucking up his 12-fight unbeaten streak. Not when he should have had a title fight already.

I understand your points, but I don't understand disparaging arguably the best fighter in the division. And if he loses to Pereira, he's still probably the SECOND-best fighter in the division!

He doesn’t have finishes over anyone that matters. There’s probably dudes at your local Walmart who could knock out Walker if they landed and smith is a bum.

He’s good but not great. Im not convinced he beats Jiri and we saw him against Jan. The notion he walks through pereira is dumb

 

[BJJ4Tone]

He doesn’t have finishes over anyone that matters. There’s probably dudes at your local Walmart who could knock out Walker if they landed and smith is a bum.

He’s good but not great. Im not convinced he beats Jiri and we saw him against Jan. The notion he walks through pereira is dumb

Oh! Ok. In that case, I agree with you. Suggesting he walks through Pereira is definitely dumb.
I didn't realize that's what we were addressing. It sounded like you were just downplaying for the sake of it.

Having said that, I also think people suggesting that Pereira will walk through Ankalaev is EQUALLY dumb.



They're the two best in the division. Literally anything can happen.
I think the ONLY outcome that would surprise me at all would be Pereira by sub.
Everything else is totally on the table, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[sanguinius]

Lol no, if that was the case you'd call anyone that doesn't shave their neck like a metrosexual, a neckbeard

People like Alex Emilianenko and Roy Nelson dont shave their necks for example, with full beards. In no realm would you refer to either as a neckbeard

Your lil urbandictionary enty isnt the end all be all case, sorry

You seem like a neckbeard.

 

[ThaiSexPills]

Oh! Ok. In that case, I agree with you. Suggesting he walks through Pereira is definitely dumb.
I didn't realize that's what we were addressing. It sounded like you were just downplaying for the sake of it.

Having said that, I also think people suggesting that Pereira will walk through Ankalaev is EQUALLY dumb.



They're the two best in the division. Literally anything can happen.
I think the ONLY outcome that would surprise me at all would be Pereira by sub.
Everything else is totally on the table, as far as I'm concerned.

People see the last name and think “oh he’s just like Khabib”. That’s all I was responding to, there’s been lots of posts about how pereira is going to get humiliated in there.

I think Poatan gets a TKO with leg kicks being a massive factor personally.