Means cowboy thoughts.
How does Cowboy win? He will have to clinch against the fence and mix in takedowns. Only time cowboy has been content to stand is against burns due to the ground threat and hallmann where he had a clear advantage. He will not want to stand with means. The problem with a clinch and takedown heavy approach for someone like cowboy is his takedowns arent great, means is nasty with elbows and while means can be taken down his get ups are excellent. Ive never seen him down for more than 30 seconds. Cowboy can be really sloppy in transition too (see merritt and hallmann fights) and means has an underrated top game. He uses his elbows really well from top and he is very dangerous with his knees as you try to stand back up. Means also attempts the odd takedown so i would not be at all surprised if he decided to keep cowboy honest and try to put him on his back.
On the feet not many utilise all eight limbs like means. Cowboy has only really let his hands fly against burns and hallmann, but he only has a one inch reach advantage here compared to the massive reach advantage he usually has. Cowboy is really wild and the over exaggeration on his strikes leaves him open to be countered. He also holds his chin high when his throwing. Means is excellent at staying just out of range and throws a really effective teep to the body that wears on people as the minutes wear on. Means is a pressure fighter so it will be interesting to see how effective cowboy is on the back foot my suspicions are he will be ineffective trying to counter.
Is means going to be able to escape the clinch tho? Hard question to answer but im willing to bet he will. Cowboy likes to bully but here he is facing someone his size for the first time outside of cerrone. When means has been clinched in other fights he has shown good ability to disengage, and while cowboy is the most smothering guy he has faced as i said above he is the biggest guy cowboys faced and means loves a dirty in fight.
In short i think means' dangerous stand up in all facets, size and get ups are enough to carry him to victory. I also think means can take advantage of cowboys sloppy technique at times in transition and put a beating on cowboy from top if he gets there. Brooks and cerrone were able to mount him effortlessly and hallmann easily controlled him for a round from top. A big part of cowboys game is slowing people down and then taking over see Merritt and Moon fights. Merritt was short notice and moon gasses every fight means is a cardio machine. Brook was 2 0 up but the rib injury cost him the fight and i have no idea what kj was thinking fighting at 170. Good luck trying to wear means out and closing the distance constantly without getting busted up. Cowboys clinch and td strategy is not going to work against better comp as his takedowns are just not good enough nor is his ground game. Plus he will lose the strength advantage he has been using to bully everyone. Everyone he has beaten has been cut (brooks not but brooks lost that due to injury more than cowboy being the better fighter plus he came in 7lbs over weight) and hallmann and merritt have lost since being cut in other orgs. Love means price.
Edit: one other point is i watched all means' ufc fights since his second ufc stint 8 in total. And win or lose he had his opponent hurt at some point. Gonna be interesting to see what cowboy is like absorbing punishment and how he responds he hasnt taken any fire on the feet yet. I dont like how easily he tapped to cerrones triangle theres no way that was fully locked in.
WP mate!
