Poatan vs Ankalaev : whats the Path for the rematch ?

[PEDRO IVO RUSSO MIRANDA]

My Thoughts on Poatan vs. Ankalaev

First off, I was really rooting for Poatan—he’s my favorite fighter, and I really wanted him to win.
That said, I scored it 3-2 for Ankalaev.

It was a super close fight, and honestly, I was surprised by Poatan’s takedown defense. Ankalaev went for more than 10 takedowns, and Poatan stuffed all of them—even got one of his own.
But at the same time, I felt like his striking volume was way too low. He just didn’t pull the trigger, and more than anything, I felt like he lacked urgency.

To me, it seems pretty clear that striking volume and takedown defense are linked—if you focus too much on one, the other suffers.
So, how do you think he could increase his output while still keeping his takedown defense solid?

Poatan’s defense seems to rely a lot on having his back against the cage, which worked, but also let Ankalaev control him and It forces him to move backwards too much
Do you think its possible to him defends takedowns while moving foward? Can he do It in the Center of the octagon?

What do you see the best Path for Poatan in the rematch?

 

[HHJ]

It wasn't just the threat of the takedown. Ank did a lot of crafty stuff in the stand-up

 

[DoubleTrouble]

Not sure what he can do to adjust tbh. He's too old and too slow for a multi faceted striker like Ank and the TD threat will always be there especially if he presses the action and gets shot on in the middle of the cage.

 

[HHJ]

Not sure what he can do to adjust tbh. He's too old and too slow for a multi faceted striker like Ank and the TD threat will always be there especially if he presses the action and gets shot on in the middle of the cage.

He's got to drill pressing and defending, both. He can't just do one or the other.

 

[GrantB13]

Two wins and then a title fight in my opinion.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Two wins and then a title fight in my opinion.

nah Alex gets the immediate title title fight. He's already has multiple wins against fighters in the top 5.

not my opinion, Just reality of what will happen. They aren't going to give Jiri a title fight over alex with 2 losses to alex. I suppose winner of Jan vs Ulberg would have a decent claim. But again alex has a win over jan aswell.

 

[jeff7b9]

Poatan has to be willing to risk getting clipped or taken down and let his hands go.

 

[StoneWT]

Ank is going to change it up to confuse Poatan. Alex is going to drill for the last fight and Ank will do something different. Instead of single takedowns, he'll try chain wrestling. Instead of the hand he rocked him with, he'll rock him with the other hand. Combos instead of single strikes, vice versa, etc..

Alex gets finished in the rematch.

 

[Rio Ferdinand]

There is fuck all he can do.

Thats the beauty of MMA. The more all rounded guy with more weapons in his arsenal will usually win.

Alex will lose the rematch (outside of a lucky punch), simply because if he throws with reckless abandon he will get taken down. Or at least it will always be in the back of his head, preventing him from fighting the way he usually fights.

 

[orca]

hes gonna lose again hes like 37

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

As you said it was pretty close one, I had Alex 1-3-5, he only needs a few minor adjustments to win undeniably. First he's gotta find a few spots each round to let a combination fly. In between rounds 2&3 his coach points out he was too flat footed in round 2 staying there to be hit he's never caught clean again. And he can't accept wall and stall he's got to under hook and circle off round 4 was lost entirely here and if you are as bad a ref as sal the 5th was lost for a minute of this.

Of course Ank could have something else prepared as well but he can't get too wild he knows what happens if Alex catches him clean.

 

[MMAFanCal]

Ank is going to change it up to confuse Poatan. Alex is going to drill for the last fight and Ank will do something different. Instead of single takedowns, he'll try chain wrestling. Instead of the hand he rocked him with, he'll rock him with the other hand. Combos instead of single strikes, vice versa, etc..

Alex gets finished in the rematch.

That is exactly it. Ankalaev will fight it completely differently. One of the thing will for Ankalaev to figure out how to lure Poatan to the center of the cage so that he could easily take him down in the center of the octagon. Poatan is confident in his TDD, but that is because he needs to cage to help him defend it. That is exactly why he kept running away so that if the takedown happened, he could stay close to the cage.

 

[Sean Chowdhury]

Pereira needs to stop showing respect to ankalaev and be aggressive, he will have to risk getting hit to land a big shot, there is zero chance he can beat ankalaev fighting on the backfoot or throwing low output with his hands. But if he goes with that gameplan he can get ko'd since ankalaev is an elite counter striker. It's a tricky matchup but I think he's better off trying to go out on his shield rather than coast to a decision loss

 

[Lycandroid]

He needs to control the center of the octagon more, stay the fuck away from the fence. Every time Ankalaev had success was when Alex has his back to the fence.

 

[orca]

As you said it was pretty close one, I had Alex 1-3-5, he only needs a few minor adjustments to win undeniably. First he's gotta find a few spots each round to let a combination fly. In between rounds 2&3 his coach points out he was too flat footed in round 2 staying there to be hit he's never caught clean again. And he can't accept wall and stall he's got to under hook and circle off round 4 was lost entirely here and if you are as bad a ref as sal the 5th was lost for a minute of this.

Of course Ank could have something else prepared as well but he can't get too wild he knows what happens if Alex catches him clean.

did you watch the fight?
did alex looked like a predator out there?
and ank looked like a prey being stalked?

 

[Neck&Neck]

He needs to be aggressive and pressure
Just go for the KO, do or die

 

[Feaser]

The path should be to just book the fucking fight. Do it again in like 3 months.

 

[ejazahmednit]

Ideally, atleast one fight and then TS, maybe if Nikita Krylov can get a win
If the UFC wants to go with a direct rematch then maybe in June-July

 

[RichardHarrow]

Ank is going to change it up to confuse Poatan. Alex is going to drill for the last fight and Ank will do something different. Instead of single takedowns, he'll try chain wrestling. Instead of the hand he rocked him with, he'll rock him with the other hand. Combos instead of single strikes, vice versa, etc..

Alex gets finished in the rematch.

Well said.

 

[RichardHarrow]

Pereira needs to stop showing respect to ankalaev and be aggressive, he will have to risk getting hit to land a big shot, there is zero chance he can beat ankalaev fighting on the backfoot or throwing low output with his hands. But if he goes with that gameplan he can get ko'd since ankalaev is an elite counter striker. It's a tricky matchup but I think he's better off trying to go out on his shield rather than coast to a decision loss

This is truth. Observing Poatans fights he doesn’t really possess the tools to outbox Ank. What people fail to understand is the kickboxing orgs encourage the come forward style and it is very transferable against sloppy brawlers like Jiri, Hill, Rountree.

Striking for MMA is a different kettle of fish with all the grappling etc. You won’t find the blueprint for someone like Ank in Glory. It can’t be replicated and what with Poatans age and experience i don’t think he can make the necessary adjustments to beat Ank. You know who will make better adjustments ? Ankalaev. As @StoneWT said Pereira and his team will make adjustments according to their first fight yet Ank will mix things up even further.

As long as Ank is the champ he’s not wearing the strap again UNLESS as you said he goes out on his shield and risks getting countered. BIG if though. I like @JustOnce breakdown of Ank. He showed exemplary ring IQ.