TJ and Cody, What were their gameplans coming into the fight?

[RayA]

I'm actually somewhat surprised with TJ. The approach I was expecting him to take was to try and play it safer this fight, and repeat the second round of the their last fight, i.e, opt to try and stay long and pick Cody off at a range. Cody, I was also expecting to be much more cautious, staying back and moving out of any of TJ's kicks, only coming in the event that TJ finds himself off balance.

I saw that TJ was training a lot with Lomachenko, it looks like it did wonders in tightening up that defense of his. All that talk about TJ no longer fearing Cody's power seemed to really show. Instead of being more cautious, TJ was much more actively looking for those in pocket exchanges, seeming to be completely confident in both his chin, and ability to intelligently defend Cody's flurries. It seemed as if it was only a matter of time until he found that chin that he had been so frequently referring to.

Cody looked pretty bad. He looked wild, and unorganized. It looks like he had been practicing his own kicks, which did show, but other than that, it looked like there was no real prep. It seemed like he was stubbornly convinced that he was the better fighter in every way, and that he could just come in and run through TJ.

Both guys came in looking to end it early.

What do you guys think?

 

[CorporateTool]

I think you hit it on the head. I had a feeling Garbrandt was going into it with the wrong mentality when he started claiming he gassed in round 2 of their first fight. Garbrandt practiced physical skills as opposed to gameplanning because he was convinced he was already the superior fighter and got 'fluked'.

Dillishaw on the other hand attacked weaknesses in Garbrandt's hook heavy striking game. Practiced his boxing to tighten up his defense and work on timing Cody's 2-3 combo.

 

[mbffm]

TJ: Wanted to win a second belt for future family pictures.

Cody: Wanted to win some money for future neck tattoo laser treatment.

 

[sonhow]

Gameplans?

Cody:

TJ:

 

[Son of Sonnen]

Looked like the same fight to me other than TJ being comfortable right off the bat.

I Think Cody has a twin because the guy that has fought TJ is not the same one that showed up for Dom. That guy was quick, patient, technically impressive and focused. The Cody that has shown up for the last two fights has been impatient, used poor technique and seemed to think that his opponent couldn’t hurt him.

 

[Lovestorm]

TJ: Be elusive, force him to over commit, make him repeat his attack patterns and capitalize

Cody: Neck tats

 

[OneToeKO]

Cody: swing wildly with his glass chin wide open, get coffined.

 

[RayA]

I think you hit it on the head. I had a feeling Garbrandt was going into it with the wrong mentality when he started claiming he gassed in round 2 of their first fight. Garbrandt practiced physical skills as opposed to gameplanning because he was convinced he was already the superior fighter and got 'fluked'.

Dillishaw on the other hand attacked weaknesses in Garbrandt's hook heavy striking game. Practiced his boxing to tighten up his defense and work on timing Cody's 2-3 combo.

I thought Cody had the wrong mentality at the after fight press conference of the first fight, and it seemingly only got worse. He kept repeating that he was the better fighter, seemingly refusing to give TJ any credit, and moreso saying it was fluke as he lost due to a simple mistake.

Since then, added on to the list of excuses and complaints
"I knocked your ass out in the first round" -Only focusing on his own successes
"It was an early stoppage" -Still refusing to accept defeat
"My back was hurting" -Strengthening his belief that it was a fluke
"I came off the couch, you know this" - Showing he thinks no real changes need to be made other than fitness
"Nobody can beat me when I'm healthy" -Now completely convinced the first fight was a fluke, he WILL destroy TJ
*No glove tocu* -Shows he's emotional and will have no respect for TJ in the fight