Rustam lost due to his bad cardio

[Noxcho]

Not making excuses, Benson won the fight well deserved, he is a great and smart fighter. Also love his personality, he seems like a great guy and I really became a fan of him tonight.

But I believe that if Rustam's cardio was at least somewhere near Benson's (who has a elite level of cardio I must say) then Rustam would've won the fight.

I think that's what made the difference here tonight. Not the strength, not their technique, but their conditioning. Just goes to show that conditioning is extremely important in MMA, everyone should focus on conditioning as that will ALWAYS make a huge difference after round 2.

Rustam won the first round easily in my opinion, but in Rounds 2 and 3 you could already see fatigue in him while Benson was perfectly fine. Then if you look how Rustam came in to the 4th round I already knew it was going to end that round. He looked so tired. If Rustam will improve his cardio then he will be a champion in the next 2 years.

 

[DrRodentia]

The first round wasn't really fought at a torrid pace. If you think that he was tired by the second, then he will probably never have good cardio. Especially considering the fact that he trains at altitude, and the fight was fought where he trains.

 

[markg171]

Seemed more like he lost because he got dropped

 

[Noxcho]

The first round wasn't really fought at a torrid pace. If you think that he was tired by the second, then he will probably never have good cardio. Especially considering the fact that he trains at altitude, and the fight was fought where he trains.

He wasn't tired in the second but he wasn't as fit as at the start of the fight, while Benson looked like he just started even in the fourth.

 

[Noxcho]

Seemed more like he lost because he got dropped

He got dropped because he was tired, theres a reason it didn't happen in the first 3 rounds.

 

[xP]

Looked more like he ate a nasty one two and Ben jumped on him before he could even recover. It was pretty even that point and Khabilov had been pacing himself well. He was starting to slow but it isn't like he was gassed.

Bendo might have the best cardio in the UFC. He's gotta be up there.

 

[Jukai]

Rustam lost because he got punched. He clearly got tired in the fourth but that's 20 minutes into a fight, most people are going to have tired and few have the cardio of Henderson.

Given the altitude, I thought Ruslam's cardio was fine.

Actually, ignore what I wrote because xP literally wrote the same thing but 25 seconds sooner

 

[UrethrakeelHall]

He ran into Benson Henderson. Just wasn't his night.

 

[platfox]

Agreed. Equal cardio, Rustam wins. But cardio is a skill so good for Benson.

 

[welcometohavoc]

I really hope they don't do any more events at high altitude. It really made the card feel sluggish and boring.

 

[DrRodentia]

I really hope they don't do any more events at high altitude. It really made the card feel sluggish and boring.

At least they didn't schedule a Hunt/Rothwell rematch for this one.

 

[platfox]

I think Rustam started slowing down near the end of the second, not the forth.

 

[MrElbows]

Nah, Benson's punches is why he didn't win.

 

[Dart Feld]

Rustam wasn't shadowboxing, there was an opponent in there making him work for every clinch, every brief moment of top control, every scramble, every minute.

 

[milenss]

Not making excuses...

You lost me over here.

Benson just outclassed Khabilov. It's plain and simple. He was the better fighter.

 

[kibz]

throwing every punch at what looked like 100% + his style (throws, working for takedowns) may not work if your cardio isn't top notch. Especially if you have to work hard for those throws and takedowns.

 

[orangecuse]

Agreed. Equal cardio, Rustam wins. But cardio is a skill so good for Benson.

Are people this clueless? Bendo won every single round.

 

[sonhow]

Cardio is something that you train during camps. It's a terrible excuse.