Tai Tuvasa needs a better Coach. Where should he go?

[bjjwar]

The HW's are in that division for a reason. They're lazy, don't train and want to fight the worst possible fighters because they wouldn't stand a chance against someone with even an average skillset. Gane started training like 6 days ago and looks like the most technical fighter out there just bc of how atrocious everyone else is. The champ can't even throw a punch without almost losing his balance and fall down ffs.

If i was Tai and had his non existant skillset, i'd stick to HW.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

MMA requires well rounded athleticism. My reply was commentary to your poor example; indeed, that guy would not be able to get where he needs to be, he can only go for 20 seconds. He would not hit anybody hard after that.

Look at the top HW guys, they dont carry around excess fat. The idea of adding fat to make a better athlete doesnt make sense outside of these highly specialized things like nfl linemen or sumo. And those things are so specialized they hardly even qualify as athletes.

Tai would be a better fighter if he was fitter. Hes already a good fighter, but not because of the fat, but in spite of it.

A comment was made that athletes in general shouldn't look like that. My example was an excellent counter to that comment.

I completely agree that a guy like Tai should have a disciplined diet and work on conditioning a lot. However, in general, athletic fitness at heavier weights does not always look like fitness at lower weights. And carrying around a bit of chub does seem to lend itself to a more powerful all around physique. It's just that at lower weight classes, the bit of extra power isn't worth fighting at a higher weight class, because it is well understood that heavier opponents are generally speaking more dangerous opponents. At HW, that computation does not apply. Doesn't mean every fighter needs to go full Parker Porter. But the disdain of armchair athletes online for a bit of muffin top is sheer ignorance.

 

[dog y]

Tai should really consider a drastic change in his diet and try to fight at 205lbs. He’s carrying a solid 60lbs of excess weight if not more.

Same as Hunt, Nelson, Cormier, Gastelum... Some fuckers are more comfortable being fat and fighting much taller/longer/naturally bigger guys. Meaning they won't stop eating. Ever.

 

[richardjohnson]

If he does go anywhere hopefully they tell him that drinking out of shoes is incredibly dumb and overplayed

 

[BoxerMaurits]

That would definitely help his stand up brother, but Tai is a guy who already slacks off on his grappling training. Being in a striking heavy nation like the Netherlands may only give him mom re excuses to do so. I think he needs a solid MMA camp that also has top level striking coaches.

I suggested CKB, but ATT also has Artem Levin. Not a bad fit and plenty of big boys there.

I thought maybe training in the Netherlands as part of a bigger camp.
But yeah ATT seems like a great place for Tai. Who should he fight next you think?

 

[drbolony]

I thought maybe training in the Netherlands as part of a bigger camp.
But yeah ATT seems like a great place for Tai. Who should he fight next you think?

I feel you man, I'm really uneducated on MMA in the Netherlands. Are there any big teams that have all MA's under one roof?

Personally I think he needs some time off after two brutal finishes. At least a good year. Would be perfect time to get settled into a new place imo.

When he does return (in my hypothetical scenario) I think the rankings will look a lot different. In the event they look similar, as a fan I'd like to see him fight someone like a Tybura or Daukuas. That said fights against Rozentruik and Aspinall make more sense, the former being a banger and a half.

 

[ookii]

Tai should really consider a drastic change in his diet and try to fight at 205lbs. He’s carrying a solid 60lbs of excess weight if not more.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

I feel you man, I'm really uneducated on MMA in the Netherlands. Are there any big teams that have all MA's under one roof?

Personally I think he needs some time off after two brutal finishes. At least a good year. Would be perfect time to get settled into a new place imo.

When he does return (in my hypothetical scenario) I think the rankings will look a lot different. In the event they look similar, as a fan I'd like to see him fight someone like a Tybura or Daukuas. That said fights against Rozentruik and Aspinall make more sense, the former being a banger and a half.

Yeah we have some kickboxing gyms that also do MMA (like SB Gym: Melvin Manhoef, Germaine de Randamie and Ilias Bulaid train there. Daan Duijs also trains his striking at SB Gym, which is a kickboxing gym in the first place with fighters like Badr Hari. Abu and Ottman Azaitar also train there when they’re in camp. Mike’s Gym does MMA under Gilbert Yvel. Hemmers Gym also does MMA. Headcoach Nick Hemmers trains kickboxer who turned MMA-fighter Arek Wrzosek. Alistair Overeem also trains there and is a very good and knowledgeable trainingpartner) and we have some individual specialists around the country that people can work with, but as far as I’m concerned the best “MMA-only” gym we have is Gegard Mousasi’s gym. They train really hard and a lot of good fighters train over there, like Gegard Mousasi himself, Reinier de Ridder, Costello van Steenis, Yousri Belgaroui, also Bellator heavyweight-fighter Gokhan Saricam.
We also have Combat Brothers, which is Reiner de Ridder’s homebase.

About Tuivasa, I think he should fight Chris Daukaus next. That will be a fun fight and at the same tim it’s a very winnable fight for Tai

 

[Vayn Sword]

A comment was made that athletes in general shouldn't look like that. My example was an excellent counter to that comment.

I completely agree that a guy like Tai should have a disciplined diet and work on conditioning a lot. However, in general, athletic fitness at heavier weights does not always look like fitness at lower weights. And carrying around a bit of chub does seem to lend itself to a more powerful all around physique. It's just that at lower weight classes, the bit of extra power isn't worth fighting at a higher weight class, because it is well understood that heavier opponents are generally speaking more dangerous opponents. At HW, that computation does not apply. Doesn't mean every fighter needs to go full Parker Porter. But the disdain of armchair athletes online for a bit of muffin top is sheer ignorance.

Well I agree that HW athlete should not look like that. Look at the champ! He certainly doesnt. Are you saying Ngannou would be a better athlete if he had a hanging gut?
And expecting the fighters at the highest levels of competition to be fit is hardly unreasonable. Maybe thats whats keeping Tai from reaching the ultimate top of the sport.

 

[BoxerMaurits]

Maybe he should do a camp in the Netherlands and start training his striking at Mike’s Gym, SB Gym or Hemmers Gym.
Sparring guys like Antonio Plazibat and Jamal Ben Saddik will remind Tuivasa to keep his hands up and not just put his head down swinging for his life.
Would do him really good I think, because those guys are also considered very hard brawlers, but fight kinda composed while brawling at the same time

Watch this first-round finish from Plazibat 2 weeks ago at GLORY 82:

What’s your opinion on this? @FIghtxIQ

 

[agibmxmma]

Tai is only 29 which for a Heavyweight is great, still plenty of time. It's obvious though, that he needs better coaching. These brawls will only shorten up his career, stop him from actually being a contender.

Who Should Bam Bam hire as a Coach?

Hes fought his best when he was training with Eagle Team at AKA and cross training that in Thailand with Fairtex or Tiger Camp.

 

[locust rising]

Are you expecting him to be a champ?

 

[agibmxmma]

He should lose weight. Its absurd to be professional athlete and look like melted pudding (if you arent tyson fury)

Cant change ones body type, regardless of how much cardio they do.. Fedor, Liddel, Cain, etc etc.. never looked in shape to the avg eye. But fighters, coaches and athletes could easily tell.

 

[agibmxmma]

He should lose weight. Its absurd to be professional athlete and look like melted pudding (if you arent tyson fury)

Losing weight doesn't mean he will get in better shape or even be able to compete like so. For a man who was well over 300lbs less then a decade ago, 205lbs range is not healthy if thinking about competing in a cardio based sport.

 

[drbolony]

Yeah we have some kickboxing gyms that also do MMA (like SB Gym: Melvin Manhoef, Germaine de Randamie and Ilias Bulaid train there. Daan Duijs also trains his striking at SB Gym, which is a kickboxing gym in the first place with fighters like Badr Hari. Abu and Ottman Azaitar also train there when they’re in camp. Mike’s Gym does MMA under Gilbert Yvel. Hemmers Gym also does MMA. Headcoach Nick Hemmers trains kickboxer who turned MMA-fighter Arek Wrzosek. Alistair Overeem also trains there and is a very good and knowledgeable trainingpartner) and we have some individual specialists around the country that people can work with, but as far as I’m concerned the best “MMA-only” gym we have is Gegard Mousasi’s gym. They train really hard and a lot of good fighters train over there, like Gegard Mousasi himself, Reinier de Ridder, Costello van Steenis, Yousri Belgaroui, also Bellator heavyweight-fighter Gokhan Saricam.
We also have Combat Brothers, which is Reiner de Ridder’s homebase.

About Tuivasa, I think he should fight Chris Daukaus next. That will be a fun fight and at the same tim it’s a very winnable fight for Tai

Sorry about the likes man, the dubs have limited my friendliness.

So the Netherlands is developing, that's good to hear. From the places you listed Mousasi's seems like the most legitimate place for fighters looking to maintain a well rounded skillet. That can be homemade and maybe a team member can get some more specialized striking training at an affiliate? For example did Mouse ever spar or cross train at Mike's or Hemmer's? I'm pretty sure he came up at one of the two, no? I could be completely showing my ass here.

Lol Daukas was my first choice as a fan too. If I'm being honest though, it's because he doesn't hit hard and you know he's going to stand and bang. Sacrificial lamb for Tai.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Tai should really consider a drastic change in his diet and try to fight at 205lbs. He’s carrying a solid 60lbs of excess weight if not more.

He ain't making 205

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

No less than 100 lbs of fat ez

here he is as a child
and as a teen hrs never making 205

 

[SaigeVanZant]

Deathclutch

 

[LiQuiD42]

It’s a no-brainer, Tai should lose weight. But that’s a lotta loose skin rolling around.

 

[capnlarge]

I feel like this guy would have to completely relearn everything in order to be champion.

I think he should focus on bonus chasing rather than becoming a contender