TUF 25 Finale - Gaethje vs Johnson - Vegas

[Ballsaque]

He kinda had that game plan against Dariush who he 100% beat but got robbed on the score cards.

Agreed, but still lost the third quite cleanly when Dariush didn't back down.

 

[Agent Mulder]

Also, I have noticed lately that people have discredited fighters from other promotions quite a bit due to their competition level. I remember it happening in both the Desmond Green and David Branch fights. Competition matters, but I wouldn't put too much stock into it. You can only beat who they schedule you against.

I somewhat agree but in Justins case he's not dominating these low level guys he's actually getting hit a bunch and gets hurt by them.

 

[Agent Mulder]

Im gonna be big on MJ at over +100 (we'll see where I end up depending on how much I freeroll). I think he will absolutely destroy Justin and im willing to eat my words if im wrong.

 

[Joseph Budden]

No, but I think Diaz taunting and ridiculing got to him. He had the perfect gameplan early, if he had stayed cool headed I think he could have legkicked and speeded his way to a comfortable decision, but he got angry that Diaz started having a bit of success and slapping him around, and started to trade instead of staying on his toes.
When I'm saying "broke mentally" I don't mean that he turtled up and stopped fighting or something like that, but more in the vein of him being WAY less effective because he let's the mental game affect him too much.
Even vs Dariush when Dariush started having success, he was worse late, ofcourse somewhat due to the cardio, but I don't think he likes when he's not "in control", AT ALL.

Cool, seems like were on the same page with what we think is MJs biggest problem then. I favor MJ here, but its just hard to pull the trigger on this price when his biggest problem is getting sloppy when there is some adversity, and if Gaethje's chin holds up early hes likely to find a way to create some adversity for MJ.

 

[Card]

Torres - I've moved to Colorado, I'm with a new camp, Pennington's coaches, I've got alot more one on one time, I took this on 2.5 weeks notice, but i was still training, I will show the best version of me yet, we train at different gyms, we want to open our own gym, I get alot more attention, now living at elevation 6-7 weeks, it's been great, I was waiting for a fight since Feb, I asked for this short notice fight, wanted Waterson fight

 

[MMA Goodfella]

Perfectly agree..

Awesome bro! Let's get this dog money!

add to this that Klose is good at quickly closing the distance, which should nullify Diakiese's tendency to stay on the outside and take powerful potshots.

Adding noted. We got this shit!

 

[Joseph Budden]

Not impressed with Klose at all. Diakese still has a lot to show to live up to the hype, not forgetting that stinker of a performance vs Perez, but Klose seems like a very appropriate, very tiny step up in competition. ATT Diakese should have his way with him imo

 

[Card]

Johnson - he's talking too much, he's running his mouth, it bothers me, it's disrespectful, he's nervous, I see it when I look in his eyes, he's underestimating me, he's not used to the spotlight, he's tough, I'm looking forward to making a statement, I'm too intelligent, i don't get hit alot, he hasn't faced a fighter like me, he thinks he's unstoppable, that's the wrong attitude, he's aggressive and sloppy, I'm not easy to break, I've only been in this game for 9 years (Nate and Khabib have 20 years experience)

 

[MMA Goodfella]

Agreed

What scares me tho is diak has had 2 camps at att and we havent really seen him since hes only 23 i believe so there is big scope for big improvement bearing in mind how athletic he is

True enough. But we're betting on the line and it's not set at 50-50 so therefore I believe the underdog is the right play. He's guaranteed to make giant leaps and each subsequent performance, but he's also going to have growing pains. And I see a lot of potential Erick Silva in him. Super dynamic but can be possibly controlled by a dominant wrestler.

 

[EzFlyer]

Im gonna be big on MJ at over +100 (we'll see where I end up depending on how much I freeroll). I think he will absolutely destroy Justin and im willing to eat my words if im wrong.

absolutely destroy = bold words!

 

[Yotsuya]

Torres - I've moved to Colorado, I'm with a new camp, Pennington's coaches, I've got alot more one on one time, I took this on 2.5 weeks notice, but i was still training, I will show the best version of me yet, we train at different gyms, we want to open our own gym, I get alot more attention, now living at elevation 6-7 weeks, it's been great, I was waiting for a fight since Feb, I asked for this short notice fight, wanted Waterson fight

Torres has talked about retiring and getting kids. That + taking fight at so short notice makes me think Lima might be worth a shot at 3.75.

 

[Agent Mulder]

absolutely destroy = bold words!

Yeah I know, im ready to eat my words. I really think we'll see round 1 KO if Justin doesn't switch up and wrestles for some reason which i seriously doubt.

 

[MixedMartialFarts]

Anyone else surprised with Tavares being the dog? I think he may have the tools to hand Elias his first knockout loss or get two decisive rounds. He's one of my more confident picks.
Was going to be Jared as well but with Bosse pulling out, killa gorilla will probably be unplayable.

 

[Tony J]

Anyone betting MJ vs Gaethje has big brass ones. That's truly a gunfight on the feet.

So many factors to consider - Gaethje's gastank, his fight iq, MJ's gastank, et al. I lean MJ myself, but man, I have rule picking against undefeated fighters and you have to pay the juice on MJ.

 

[Jamah]

Anyone else surprised with Tavares being the dog? I think he may have the tools to hand Elias his first knockout loss or get two decisive rounds. He's one of my more confident picks.
Was going to be Jared as well but with Bosse pulling out, killa gorilla will probably be unplayable.

LOL at Tavares getting a knockout. He has finished 1 fight in the UFC and it was 6 or 7 years ago.

 

[MixedMartialFarts]

LOL at Tavares getting a knockout. He has finished 1 fight in the UFC and it was 6 or 7 years ago.

Lol that's true, and my pick is Brad by decision but I just feel like his technical striking is head and shoulders above Elias, I can see him tagging Elias up with straights down the middle, especially if Theodorou tries his kicking game.

 

[Polarize]

i don't agree with -200, but maybe pick'em or therabouts, hrmm. have to think it over

but i don't agree -200. theo is a good 15 min fighter and a good round winner

That is my concern, Tavares not being a KO artist, he usually wins DECs and now is fighting a guy who wins DECs by volume and Fight IQ. He could lose a DEC if he isn't very active during the fight but even with that in mind Tavares has the perfect style to nullify Theo strenghts.

4u on Tavares +125.

 

[Polarize]

Torres has talked about retiring and getting kids. That + taking fight at so short notice makes me think Lima might be worth a shot at 3.75.

I didn't know Torres was fighting in short notice. Another thing worth mention: Last night, one of his ATT training mates was murdered at his home. I do not know if that's going to hurt her mentally or if that's going to motivate her, who knows...

 

[piglord]

That is my concern, Tavares not being a KO artist, he usually wins DECs and now is fighting a guy who wins DECs by volume and Fight IQ. He could lose a DEC if he isn't very active during the fight but even with that in mind Tavares has the perfect style to nullify Theo strenghts.

4u on Tavares +125.

theo's only path to win this is wall and stall imo. but tavares is good in the clinch and also has great takedown defence.

at range i think tavares will find theo's chin repeatedly with his crisp punches while theo prances around throwing kicks like a ballerina. i reckon this goes down like r1 of cezar/theo before cezar broke his hand.

 

[Antagonist88]

It's the way he's beat those guys though. It's not like he is outclassing them and shutting them down. Every fight is life and death that strategy does not bode well when you step up in class when you can't out class people a level below what you will be facing in the UFC. Desmond and Branch did not come into the UFC and face a top 10 guy much less a top 5 guy. Justin's also used to fighting in a smaller cage.

Branch did face a top ten guy, and Moraes faced a top 5.