Should Khabib retire the flying knee?

[Superzorro]

That's not a fact, that's just your unsupported opinion.

Then how do fighters ever lose?

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Then how do fighters ever lose?

That's a loaded question. Fighters can lose in many different ways, that doesn't mean that techniques that work well for the fighter in question should be abandoned like the flying knee for Khabib.

 

[Superzorro]

That's a loaded question. Fighters can lose in many different ways.

Ok so.
Thinking there’s nothing wrong with your game, while in reality there are holes that a fighter goes on to exploit.
You’ve been a fan for a while, and you’re telling me this never happens?

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Ok so.
Thinking there’s nothing wrong with your game, while in reality there are holes that a fighter goes on to exploit.
You’ve been a fan for a while, and you’re telling me this never happens?

No, i'm not telling you it never happens but you are doing the complete opposite of what you think i'm doing, you're making it out as if fighters always lose because they "don't fix what isn't broken" which is rarely what causes a fighter to lose.

The flying knee works really well for Khabib and he's very smart about when he uses the technique.

 

[Superzorro]

No, i'm not telling you it never happens but you are doing the complete opposite of what you think i'm doing, you're making it out as if fighters always lose because they "don't fix what isn't broken" which is rarely what causes a fighter to lose.

The flying knee works really well for Khabib and he's very smart about when he uses the technique.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s not good for a fighter to think.
When they’re dominant champions like Khabib, that’s usually what does them in. The thought that there’s nothing wrong, and they can just do things that other fighters aren’t able to do. This flying knee in particular might not get Khabib caught because he uses it sporadically at random times, few and in between. But I’ve seen flying knees that aren’t set up just like that get timed and countered bad by overhands (ie Brown vs Struve).

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s not good for a fighter to think.
When they’re dominant champions like Khabib, that’s usually what does them in. The thought that there’s nothing wrong, and they can just do things that other fighters aren’t able to do. This flying knee in particular might not get Khabib caught because he uses it sporadically at random times, few and in between. But I’ve seen flying knees that aren’t set up just like that get timed and countered bad by overhands (ie Brown vs Struve).

It is if they know the positives and negatives to the techniques they are using like Khabib seems to know really well with the flying knee. Watch when he does it, there's a reason he does it when guys are backed up to the cage, it's cause it's a much less risky time to use it.

What you're taking about isn't "don't fix what isn't broken" you're just talking about guys being stupid and not setting up there techniques correctly and using them at the wrong time which isn't the same thing.

What you're describing is someone getting way overconfident and throwing a flying knee at a terrible time to do it like Arlovski and Struve throwing badly timed, telegraphed flying knees. Besides that Khabib is a huge takedown threat and a level change into a flying knee makes his opponents hesitate more so it's less likely they can capitalize on it.

 

[Sirwastealot]

Yea i'm a big fan of khabib but that flying knee always looks bad.

It's like DC's head kick or Nick Diaz's karate kicks.

 

[chitoortiz]

It is if they know the positives and negatives to the techniques they are using like Khabib seems to know really well with the flying knee. Watch when he does it, there's a reason he does it when guys are backed up to the cage, it's cause it's a much less risky time to use it.

What you're taking about isn't "don't fix what isn't broken" you're just talking about guys being stupid and not setting up there techniques correctly and using them at the wrong time which isn't the same thing.

Exactly this.

Khabib has high fight IQ, and he uses that flying knee to perfection.

 

[Epicness]

He nearly took McGs head off with it after he decked him.

Props to Conor for reacting quick enough to move his head off the center-line.

Idk about that...that right hand that wobbled Conor was beautiful, but that was a super sloppy, telegraphed knee, even for Khabib

...But somehow Conor managed to throw an even worse one 2 seconds later

 

[chitoortiz]

Yea i'm a big fan of khabib but that flying knee always looks bad.

It's like DC's head kick or Nick Diaz's karate kicks.

Or Joe Stevenson's superman punch.

 

[Superzorro]

It is if they know the positives and negatives to the techniques they are using like Khabib seems to know really well with the flying knee. Watch when he does it, there's a reason he does it when guys are backed up to the cage, it's cause it's a much less risky time to use it.

What you're taking about isn't "don't fix what isn't broken" you're just talking about guys being stupid and not setting up there techniques correctly and using them at the wrong time.

Where are his hands when he’s throwing this knee? Everyone is vulnerable when they throw a strike like that. Khabib isn’t impervious to being countered. I personally see a target when he does that. Most of the time, while it does seem like his opponents are blindsided by it, and while it can’t be a particularly glaring hole because of how rarely he does it, it is an opening and it can be taken advantage of.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Where are his hands when he’s throwing this knee? Everyone is vulnerable when they throw a strike like that. Khabib isn’t impervious to being countered. I personally see a target when he does that. Most of the time, while it does seem like his opponents are blindsided by it, and while it can’t be a particularly glaring hole because of how rarely he does it, it is an opening and it can be taken advantage of.

I didn't say he's invulnerable, I said he throws the knee at the right time. He throws the knee when guys are either against the cage or backing up a lot and circling away, it's really hard to get much power on a counter strike while running backwards and sideways away from your opponent. In the gif in this thread RDA shells up while Khabib could be countered because he's more worried about Khabib taking him down than his striking. The less predictable Khabib is on offense while both men are standing up the better it is for him.

Most of the time when Khabib throws the flying knee he winds up in the clinch which is where he wants to be and where his opponents don't want to be so the vast majority of the time they are more worried about getting the hell away from him then banking on finishing him in one shot.

He could get caught using it and lose but it's a very useful tool for him and it works really well for him to use sparingly.

 

[OriginMMA]

surprised it took people so long to realize khabibs striking style is not pretty, but extremely effective.

 

[UncleWizard]

I want to see him get retired.

 

[yookfarb]

This, watch when he throws his flying knees, his opponents just shell up and he normally gets the clinch, a takedown or a combo after throwing them. He does not put himself in bad positions when he throws flying knees, he actually benefits from them cause people hesitate while he gets to be offensive.

He nearly took McGs head off with it after he decked him.

Props to Conor for reacting quick enough to move his head off the center-line.

He throws it to close the distance quickly while minimizing the risk of getting hit. It works pretty well.

 

[Char Jawz]

I say he starts implementing the flying uppercut and flying armbar too...

Then he could come out to Steve Miller's "Fly like an Eagle"

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I say he starts implementing the flying uppercut and flying armbar too...

Then he could come out to Steve Miller's "Fly like an Eagle"

That would be an awesome entrance song for the Eagle.

 

[submerged88]

He might get KOed cold like arlovski against fedor, if he's too reckless

 

[Skarsgard]

Why?
Sure, it's not as pretty as Barboza's or as violent as Romero's, but it covers the distance and he keeps his head off the line minimizing the risk of a counter. If it were as bad as you are saying, then he would have gotten caught with a counter by now, as he throws it "in every fight" as you say.

 

[deadon]

I think because hes lost one round and never gets cut up he should listen to everyone else. He doesnt know what hes doing.