So Thompson just walks through Lawler, right?

[The Natural Born Runner]

All I see on Sherdog post event is BS like Thompson should be ranked above Lawler, Thompson walks through Lawler etc. etc. etc. People screaming about Thompson title shot etc.

I was super impressed with Wonderboy, gave him about a 1 in 5 chance of winning that fight - I was really wrong. Hendricks had no excuses, great shape, a lot of rest time etc.

What I have an issue with as a realist firstly and a Lawler die-hard secondly is, why is it clear cut? Why have I not seen one article about Lawler having a chance? Where did this Wonderboy nut-hugging come from? Same place as O.J.'s glove and the golden ticket to the Choco Factory at this stage I guess. Ludicrous!

Hendricks is a very good fighter, but he's an overrated striker. People need to realise that against the top guys, his wrestling is what takes him to the promised land. Even the counter-wrestling against GSP is what made him so affective.

So, I say that to say this. Why is everyone acting like Stephen Thompson smashes other strikers? A Holly Holm'esque Kick Boxing record, where none of us have even watched the fights? Come on...

Are we claiming that Hendricks (Wrestler), Ellenberger (Wrestler), Patrick Cote (low level boxer) and Robert Whittaker (low level boxer) means that he would walk through Lawler?

Let me ask you this. Who even says he beats Condit, Woodley or MacDonald? Their records and resume dwarf his "currently".

So now... what on earth makes you think with zero takedown threat coming the other way that Lawler doesn't eat a few straight and just cracks Wonderboy with a hook or 2? Why wouldn't/couldn't it be a similar fight to Condit? A close, well contested fight. Why has Lawler not got a chance?

Have we even seen Wonderboy's chin?

Wonderboy might smoke Lawler, hey maybe so... but what evidence have we got at this stage? Hendricks who is nowhere near as good of a striker as Lawler, he is not as accurate, not as technical. He hasn't got the chin, heart or durability of Lawler.

Don't be naïve and forget that Hendricks arguably lost to PIERCE and KOSCHECK! People get a little excited about washed journeymen wins like Fitch and Kampmann. Both were nice KO's, beautiful actually. But I reckon Lawler smokes them both too... and where are they now eh? Fitch is dog**** and Kampmann was beat into early retirement.

It's not clear cut... stop acting like it is.

Opinions?

 

[SchlomoS]

Lawler isn't going to stand slack jawed stupid in front of thompson. Hendricks is done. he only had the will to get his ass beaten. Lawler would be all over thompson, not letting him bounce on his toes, picking his every strike.

 

[Kryptt]

I would pick Thompson over Lawler but by no means is it a shoe in - didn't think Hendricks was a shoe in either and Lawler is far more resilient.

Looking forward to it happening though!

 

[DaffodilMcWoozy]

Robbie can definitely win. But he would have to activate beast mode earlier because he cant play the distance game against wonderboy

 

[xterm11]

Amazing how you managed to bash half of the WW roster in one post while posting with a username that reeks of butthurt Diaz fans.

Also, Hendricks has been stopped by strikes exactly one time. The same amount of times as Robbie. Hardly shows that Hendricks doesn't have the heart or durability of Robbie...

In the words of Gene Wilder "You get nothing, you lose! Good day sir!"

 

[legkicktko]

I never count anyone out, especially Lawler. But as a matchup it's awful for him. Being completely honest, Lawlers strength is striking and in striking he's a brawler.

The fact that Thompson stopped Hendricks shot relatively easily should terrify the division because I wouldn't count on anyone in the current top 5 being a better striker.

 

[Woliwo]

Nah Lawler will crush Wonderboy in the later rounds.
Will be a great fight, hope it happen soon as it should.

 

[MadHouse]

most sherdoggers overate and over hype a guy once he gets a dominant win
eg. when Nunes got that last k.o win suddenly she's able to smash through any woman including Ronda and that's just one example

 

[legkicktko]

Lawler isn't going to stand slack jawed stupid in front of thompson. Hendricks is done. he only had the will to get his ass beaten. Lawler would be all over thompson, not letting him bounce on his toes, picking his every strike.

You do realize you need footwork to beat someone with elusive footwork like that? That is very oversimplified considering that in his last fight, Lawler stood right in front of Condit and blocked punches with his face.

 

[DesertSin]

Thompson made a statement and it's refreshing to see a new contender that brings something beautiful and deadly to the mix: his striking. It's fair to say that he could conceivably put a clinic on Lawler, so it's a valid thought when looking at the feat he just accomplished.

That being said, I can't side w/him against Lawler because (as I stated in a different thread) I have no idea how he will handle a true savage who will make every shot he lands hurt. McCarthy said in an interview about the Rory fight that he was more worried about McDonald because the shots Robbie landed had a heavy, "thud" sound to them (and blood going into Rory's lungs). That's a no joking around type of of assault right there. We know Condit and Rory can take a beating, but what I don't know is if Wonderboy can as well.

Against Robbie he will have to be able to, but me not knowing if he can doesn't mean that people who think Wonderboy can beat Lawler are wrong. They see a skillet that is devastating when employed correctly and have confidence in what they have seen him do.

I, for one, can't wait to see precision vs ruthlessness. It won't be easy for either.

 

[Big L]

Wow, the Wonderboy hype train has moved WAY past the Sage hype train.

Robbie's a tough dude to put away this decade. He will forever be haunted by that Diaz KO.

 

[klimt]

Lesson #1 on Sherdog, TS: You will see all manner of retardation posted and posted with conviction. To take it seriously is to give credence to trolls and idiots. Don't take it seriously.

 

[fightdonttweet]

Lawler isn't going to stand slack jawed stupid in front of thompson.

That's exactly what he does for large portions of his fights. Its why the fights with Hendricks, Condit, and Rory were so competitive.

 

[Sturmgeshutz]

Wonderboy's leg reach > Lawler's arm reach
Wonderboy's ellusiveness > Lawler's plodding
Wonderboy's efficiency > Lawler's cardio

Wonderboy inside 3 rds

 

[KhabibTheBeagle]

I'm calling it right now: Wonderboy beats Lawler, and he looks good doing it.

Kiss my over-hyping ass, ya momos.

 

[SchlomoS]

You do realize you need footwork to beat someone with elusive footwork like that? That is very oversimplified considering that in his last fight, Lawler stood right in front of Condit and blocked punches with his face.

you bums clearly don't understand what you're looking at. Lawler has very good footwork and angles, you can't beat on Carlos without them. Hendricks followed Wonderboy around like a lost puppy with his hand to his chest, please show me one instance of lawler doing anything like that.

 

[Troublesome10]

If Ellenberger can touch Wonderboy's chin, so can Lawler, but if the karate man can fight another flawless fight like he did against Hendricks, I see Robbie 2.0's chin finally getting cracked by the 3rd round. His precision is precise my friends, and he won't let Robbie survive if he rocks him.

Robbie is a great fighter, but his game is land heavy blows and counter wrestle, I don't believe he has a good style to beat Wonderboy. His footwork is decent, but his cage cutting is not at a level that's going to stop Wonderboy's movement, and I truly believe that all those recent wars Robbie has been in lately will be his downfall.

Also, you mentioned that Hendricks is an overrated striker, that may or may not be true, but he actually outstruck Robbie in both fights before gassing. The threat of the takedown definitely played a role, but his dutch-style high/low combinations were working great for him, and his comfort and defense in the pocket seemed pretty high level to me.

 

[MusterX]

Wow, the Wonderboy hype train has moved WAY past the Sage hype train.

Robbie's a tough dude to put away this decade. He will forever be haunted by that Diaz KO.

Wonderboy went 57-0 in kickboxing and is 12-1 in MMA. (His one loss to the Immortal has since forced him to actually get even better and learn TDD) In combat sports Wonderboy has won 69 out of 70 times. He dismantled one of the best Welters on the planet like it was nothing. Is that a hype train?

 

[dipstickjimmy]

Same place as O.J.'s glove and the golden ticket to the Choco Factory at this stage I guess. Ludicrous!

First thing; OJ's glove and "The Golden Ticket" are two completely different things. One is from a work of fiction and one is clear cut evidence that OJ murdered his ex wife and her friend/waiter.

Opinions?

Secondly my opinion re Thompson vs Lawler and the hype behind Thompson:

Wonderboy walked thru Hendricks with ease while Lawler had 2 close contests with Hendricks going 1-1. Lawler has weaker wrestling than Hendricks but superior striking. In a straight up striking contest I think Wonderboy takes it more often than Lawler but Thompson has to fear Lawler's power and if Robbie mixes in TD's and clinch work it can open things up. Stylistically Thompson is a bad matchup for Robbie but fights happen in the Octagon not on paper. Many people have counted Robbie out as Champion as he was an underdog vs Rory, Hendricks and maybe even Condit but he has the heart of a Champion.

Wonderboy takes out Lawler 6/10 times IMO.

 

[Goatenstein]

If Thompson somehow beat Lawler it would be an obvious fluke and wouldn't count for me or other intelligent people.