Media Umar first statement: I don't think I lost

[Doctor Grudge]

What makes you think that? His base is Muay Thai and even DC remarked on how late he had to learn grappling at AKA

Because of his last name. Many people have been overrating him or not even understanding his skillset because of his last name. They literally think he is just like Khabib.

 

[HHJ]

Because of his last name. Many people have been overrating him or not even understanding his skillset because of his last name. They literally think he is just like Khabib.

Casuals

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

I think Umar got one clean takedown at that point. The wrestling exchanges actually killed him in the 4th. Merab started to take over the fight. I understand Khabib's instructions of limiting the high kicks but Umar scored well with knees and kicks to the body.

Umar barely got any control time on Merab before Khabib asked him to wrestle. He got back control for maybe less than a min in the second round but that was off a scramble? To be fair there was little control time from both men. I think Merab might have banked a minute or two in the 4th.

He got little control time but he was mostly focused on striking. And like you said, Merab didn't get much control until championship rounds. I can see the logic in calling for TDs when you know that merab, if allowed to set the pace will not slow down. Easiest way to upset his pace is to make his work from bottom. Likewise, if he could get the the back again then he'd be able to recover a bit.

It obviously didn't work out and they'll be a point of focus for them going forward.

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

Because of his last name. Many people have been overrating him or not even understanding his skillset because of his last name. They literally think he is just like Khabib.

Which is crazy because stylistically he's the least like Khabib out of the entire team

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

They have to try and finish him with strikes or a submission. He's pretty durable but its the only way. Umar ALMOST won this fight and it was really decided in the final 2 mins or so. They need to make those strikes fucking count more and try to knock him out or do so much damage that his cardio cant help him enough to win.

yeah, they need to try to finish him. even if they don't, hopefully they do enough damage that Merab is as or more compromised than Umar is. trying to fight for a decision vs Merab seems impossible.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

Oh no a fighter thinks he won a VERY close fight! What an asshole!!!!

It really wasn't that close.

 

[HHJ]

yeah, they need to try to finish him. even if they don't, hopefully they do enough damage that Merab is as or more compromised than Umar is. trying to fight for a decision vs Merab seems impossible.

Right cos even if you do everything right he just somehow can go ballistic out of nowhere and theres nothing anyone can do when he surges like that. Umar was so close, hahahaha but then inexplicably Merab went insane in the last half of the round where you just knew theres no way Umar, tired as he was, can stop that. He undid all the work Umar did early when Merab was not really doing much and Umar was doing just enough.

 

[Cartiac]

He didn’t win. He did well in the first 2 rounds then he began to fade. Khabib’s technical coaching was pretty bad. Why ask Umar to wrestle when he was starting to get tired?

I would say because they are used to being able to drag people down at will and conserve energy in the top position. That strategy became a major problem when everyone realized Merab was a better wrestler.

 

[Doctor Grudge]

yeah, they need to try to finish him. even if they don't, hopefully they do enough damage that Merab is as or more compromised than Umar is. trying to fight for a decision vs Merab seems impossible.

Which doesn't really bode well for Umar. Him and Usman are not power strikers, they're technical strikers, Muay Tae and Muay Femur style Thai guys. I haven't really seen anything that suggest they can finish guys (on the top level).

I think we haven't seen the best of Umar yet, but I doubt stylistically he'll ever be a match for prime Mekrab. He needs at least enough gas to take round 3 to have a chance, and I dont think that's possible.

Mekrab lets guys win the start of the round because he knows they have a burst of energy from resting, and is risk averse. He could apply pressure from start to finish if he really wanted.

 

[Sean Chowdhury]

He lost this fight but people shouldn't be bitching about this. In close fights you always get the loser saying he won, like whittaker claiming he beat izzy the 2nd time, or volk claiming he beat islam in the first fight

 

[Doctor Grudge]

He lost this fight but people shouldn't be bitching about this. In close fights you always get the loser saying he won, like whittaker claiming he beat izzy the 2nd time, or volk claiming he beat islam in the first fight

Those fights were much closer though.

 

[HHJ]

He lost this fight but people shouldn't be bitching about this. In close fights you always get the loser saying he won, like whittaker claiming he beat izzy the 2nd time, or volk claiming he beat islam in the first fight

Plus the guy is under tremendous pressure with everyone watching. It's not like he lost 4 rounds or some shit like that lol

 

[Sean Chowdhury]

Those fights were much closer though.

I don't know about that, I thought volk, umar, and whittaker only won 2 rounds and clearly lost 3 rounds in those fights, similar level of competitiveness

 

[jeff7b9]

I think he lost.

I'm quite sure of it in fact.

 

[FreedomCricket]

Yan vs Umar sounds fun.

Sandhagen vs O'malley. Whoever looks better in their win gets the shot.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Coach K about to put his team through the wringer

 

[Peli]

View attachment 1080157

He lost. Deal with it bro. It happens. I knew the wrestling would be an issue. He's not a natural wrestler the way Khabib and Islam is. He grew up striking, His defense is great though, but Idk if he grew up doing sambo or was even world class at it.

I still think he can win a world title and He can win in a rematch, but I think he has to hurt merab early for that to be a chance.

 

[Milenkovic]

Khabib telling him to wrestle when he should've kept it on the feet was the downfall from the 3rd round onwards

 

[Söze Aldo]

Yan vs Umar sounds fun.

Sandhagen vs O'malley. Whoever looks better in their win gets the shot.

That would make sense but I'm quite confident the UFC is going to give O'Malley a rematch without having to fight another contender. He was deliberately in the crowd to watch Umar and Merab and Merab shortly after wining the title from him welcomed a rematch with O'Malley.

 

[FilipEmoFights]

This is why UFC Title fights need to go to the death George’s