So Eddie Bravo has a strategy for Ferguson fighting Khabib

[elcj]

Unlike Khabibs other opponents who spend the whole time trying to get back up, Ferguson will fight on his back lol

It's funny because Tony can actually do that.

Tony being a way better striker, he can actually fight Khabib anywhere. We all know Ferguson is good on his back too. Khabib loses to Ferguson if they fight, mark my words.
Tony has way too many tools for him.

 

[jeff7b9]

Not a good idea. Tony will be in bad positions. His best bet is to strike.

You have to think of it based on their tendencies.

- Tony is wild and has a tendency to get caught out of position. He does this because he is confident in his BJJ and overall grappling including scrambles.

- Khabib gets most of his TDs from the clinch and often lands directly in side control. He maintains excellent position in the ground, maintains distance and is often standing up or kneeling with his body far away from his opponent. He won't be laying flat in guard (for triangle) and he doesn't shoot doubles from range (to get caught in a d'arce during a sprawl).

Tony needs to stay on his feet against Khabib. He is very strong and has decent (not impeccable) footwork. He needs to Circle away from the cage, avoid getting cut off, keep the fight in the middle of the cage and force Khabib to strike.

 

[Willek]

Eddie still talking about guys pulling guard, hey?

 

[One MMA Fan]

No shit... Tony ain't stopping that TD it's about what can he do from under Khabib and I think people will be surprised by what a freaking monster Khabib truly is.

 

[genecop]

Maybe if Ortega was on bottom, Tony , not sure..

 

[elcj]

Not a good idea. Tony will be in bad positions. His best bet is to strike.

You have to think of it based on their tendencies.

- Tony is wild and has a tendency to get caught out of position. He does this because he is confident in his BJJ and overall grappling including scrambles.

- Khabib gets most of his TDs from the clinch and often lands directly in side control. He maintains excellent position in the ground, maintains distance and is often standing up or kneeling with his body far away from his opponent.

Tony has long ass limbs. I think he'll be good on his back vs Khabib.

But it's not saying he should go there intentionally, but just if Khabib manages to get him there, he will be relatively comfortable there.

On the feet Ferguson will be lighting him up. And say if Khabib gets him to the ground for 30% of the fight, he won't do enough to get a decision (well he shouldn't anyway).

 

[drbolony]

There was more to the explanation ts, I'm not sure if it's by device, but you're making Eddie sound like a retard. He said that people are always worried about ending up on their backs, and react accordingly. He goes on to say Tony isn't so he'll be a lot more free on the feet. Should it go to the ground, Tony actually has solid offense off his back, not just defense.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

And what happened when Tony tried to fight off his back against Kevin Lee (before he gassed from bad weight cut + staph)?

https://g.redditmedia.com/y4p7jY2I9...nted=false&s=256794f02b9252fecf95e57e32700a4e

Don't think that's going to be a "winning" approach in the long run against super elite top-position grappler/wrestler like Khabib - maybe if you are lucky you slice him with an elbow but he'll likely use your lack of control to pass your guard and smash your face.

 

[TheLastEmperorReurns]

Maybe it's not as stupid as we think it is but when you factor in real, full-force ground and pound strikes into the equation you have a ground fight on your hands that's almost impossible to train for.

When Frank Mir rematched Brock Lesnar you essentially had an elite black belt on the ground with a 4 strike white belt and yet the white belt smashed the black belt to pieces because of chest-to-chest ground and pound.

You're just not beating a guy with really good top control and ground and pound off your back unless you're a Shinya Aoki level guard player.

 

[CodCommando]

I've said this previously. Tony's best bet of winning IS submission. He'll happily get taken down. We've seen Khabib get headlocked on the ground whilst he was on top...

 

[Diunx]

Unlike Khabibs other opponents who spend the whole time trying to get back up, Ferguson will fight on his back lol

It's funny because Tony can actually do that.

Tony being a way better striker, he can actually fight Khabib anywhere. We all know Ferguson is good on his back too. Khabib loses to Ferguson if they fight, mark my words.
Tony has way too many tools for him.

That's a good strategy imo, most of Khabib's opponents have tried the get back up strategy and it hasn't worked for any of them, don't worrying about the TD will allow him to be more loose with the striking, has nothing to lose imo.

 

[Yari]

He's not going to win a single round against Khabib doing that.

 

[elcj]

And what happened when Tony tried to fight off his back against Kevin Lee (before he gassed from bad weight cut + staph)?

https://g.redditmedia.com/y4p7jY2I9...nted=false&s=256794f02b9252fecf95e57e32700a4e

Don't think that's going to be a "winning" approach in the long run against super elite top-position grappler/wrestler like Khabib - maybe if you are lucky you slice him with an elbow but he'll likely use your lack of control to pass your guard and smash your face.

Yea that's a good example how Ferguson can survive on his back.

Full mount from heavy Lee. And Lee drops bombs that Khabib doesn't.
If he can survive that onslaught from Lee in that position, he can survive anything Khabib can throw at him.

 

[dragovic]

Yea that's a good example how Ferguson can survive on his back.

Full mount from heavy Lee. And Lee drops bombs that Khabib doesn't.
If he can survive that onslaught from Lee in that position, he can survive anything Khabib can throw at him.

Khabib has better top control than Kevin Lee imo. More pressure than Lee.

 

[NotoriousMillions]

Unlike Khabibs other opponents who spend the whole time trying to get back up, Ferguson will fight on his back lol

It's funny because Tony can actually do that.

Tony being a way better striker, he can actually fight Khabib anywhere. We all know Ferguson is good on his back too. Khabib loses to Ferguson if they fight, mark my words.
Tony has way too many tools for him.

???

I don't disagree with the idea that Tony can fight off his back better than anyone Khabib has faced, but what's that going to do? Is Tony suppose to catch Khabib in a sub, in five minutes no less? LOL

That's just wishful thinking. Khabib is going to be scoring while Tony fucks around. This isn't a BJJ match. He needs to be working to get back to his feet and using everything he has to try and knock Khabib out.

I don't see that happening at all. Tony is probably Khabib's easiest fight in the top 5 as a result.

 

[ANIM4L]

Barboza seemed comfortable in Fergusson's guard until he got an illegal upkick. I'd love to see Khabib counter the rubber guard with some slick Sambo technique.

 

[drbolony]

And what happened when Tony tried to fight off his back against Kevin Lee (before he gassed from bad weight cut + staph)?

https://g.redditmedia.com/y4p7jY2I9...nted=false&s=256794f02b9252fecf95e57e32700a4e

Don't think that's going to be a "winning" approach in the long run against super elite top-position grappler/wrestler like Khabib - maybe if you are lucky you slice him with an elbow but he'll likely use your lack of control to pass your guard and smash your face.

This is a solid response. I hope the plan isn't to stay in the ground but rather to not be defenseless there. Maybe the striking will open up the scrambles or the stand ups? Doesn't Kevin have a better top game?

 

[NoAbsolutes]

Damian Maia would have major issues underneath Khabib in MMA, it’s going to take someone who can keep Khabib on his feet.

 

[riitzni]

You don't play to an opponent's strengths no matter the arena. People still talk about Tibau's loss to Khabib as if it was a win because he didn't get man handled on the ground.

Basically the wisdom here is to put Khabib where he is most dangerous and let him beat on you with the hopes he'll make a mistake and get subbed? That might literally be the worst strategy possible.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

Yea that's a good example how Ferguson can survive on his back.

Full mount from heavy Lee. And Lee drops bombs that Khabib doesn't.
If he can survive that onslaught from Lee in that position, he can survive anything Khabib can throw at him.

Cuz getting mounted and almost finished by a lesser grappler then Khabib in under one round REALLY shows off Tony's devastating attacks from his back....


<45>

This is a solid response. I hope the plan isn't to stay in the ground but rather to not be defenseless there. Maybe the striking will open up the scrambles or the stand ups? Doesn't Kevin have a better top game?

Kevin is a better power-wrestler then Khabib, his blast double is much more explosive and he might have more initial strength early in a fight then Khabib (though I suspect he gasses much faster with his build) - arguably has more power in his GnP then Khabib but seems to have less control (will look to land as much power as possible and force opponent to scramble, looks to mount and land elbows or take the back).

Khabib has much more diverse set of takedowns (trips, low single, throws, better chain-wrestling) and seems to have much better control when landing the GnP, a lot less scrambles that he's not in control of so opponent is less likely to escape/stand-up.

Problem with striking off your back against elite top-heavy grappler/wrestler is they will typically use that attack to open up a pass or counter with even heavier GnP. Most guys aren't going to sit in Tony's guard and eat elbows unless they are lesser grapplers/athletes who don't have an option (or are completely gassed like Lee was). So it's a dangerous game to play; maybe throw a quick slicing elbow here and there to keep him guessing and possibly cause a cut, but focus should be on standing up (Trujillo was actually able to get up so often because he decided to not strike at all off his back really, so he ended up getting wrestle-fucked to death instead of GNP'd).

I feel like Tony's approach should be to make Khabib work a lot on his feet so that he is a lot more static if/when they do get to the ground (that way he can't execute as much control on Tony to land the GnP).