Volk not very hittable against Holloway

[DapperDave]

...but quite hittable against Islam.

Either Volk gave too little credit to Islam's striking while developing a close-the-distance fight plan,

or the TD threat changed Volk's attack to make it more hittable,

or Islam is a cutting edge striker.

I don't buy the 3rd option. The heavy stuff landed by Islam wasn't exotic, it was basic.

Lot to be said for the basics, I guess.

 

[USA!USA!]

I am certain the TD threat had a lot to do with it.. that and Islam's striking is underrated. Not cutting edge, but he can do it.

 

[Izzysexboyfriend]

TD threat

 

[CJrider]

Islam is a better striker than people give him credit for AND his wrestling makes his offense and his opponents defense extremely awkward, further raising his striking effectiveness. A tale as old as time with ultra elite grapplers with good striking.

 

[gimmick122]

TD threat plus Volk had his training camp for Islam centered around wrestling/grappling.

 

[KantoTerror]

2 different fighters...Max is a game fighter and is careless and doesn't have a takedown threat....Islam is very cautious, uses his footwork and can change level very quick...also is very dangerous on the ground...If Max and Islam are going to fight...Islam will pick him apart, take hiim down and sub him...

 

[Crazy Librarian]

TD threat

and end thread.

 

[Ares Black]

...but quite hittable against Islam.

Either Volk gave too little credit to Islam's striking while developing a close-the-distance fight plan,

or the TD threat changed Volk's attack to make it more hittable,

or Islam is a cutting edge striker.

I don't buy the 3rd option. The heavy stuff landed by Islam wasn't exotic, it was basic.

Lot to be said for the basics, I guess.

Spoiler Alert: It's the second one

 

[CasualBot]

Volk worked majority wrestling in camp.

Volk's striking was substantially different this fight,
because Islam is a dagestan wrestler.

Volk had his chin out there,
he wasn't concerned about being KO'd.

This was how islam found an advantage (at times) in the striking.

Same as how Khabib landed on Conor.

Everyone knows this was a grappling fight on paper.

A rematch would be two completely different fighters.

 

[Phisher]

I am certain the TD threat had a lot to do with it.. that and Islam's striking is underrated. Not cutting edge, but he can do it.

Islam's timing is amazing.

He doesn't have the pretty striking technique, but he knows when to throw just as well as he knows when to shoot.

 

[Liverkick-king56]

Max doesn't seem to be a defensive wizard.
His style seems to be overwhelm with offence and eat whatever comes back his way. Yair, Volk, and Aldo all sorta picked his defence apart but 2 of them got tired while doing it.

Islam more so picks his shots but puts defence first and it is very difficult to hit a bigger man who's only worried about avoiding damage. Islam has a good striking style, he doesn't punch in combos but he has great timing, is fast and doesn't over extend himself. Reminds me of Dariush with less power and more defence.


Volk really seemed to be arrogant on the feet too. He was in control early but kept getting hit with shots that he just seemed too relaxed to defend when Volk is usually always defensively tight.

 

[Liverkick-king56]

Islam's timing is amazing.

He doesn't have the pretty striking technique, but he knows when throw just as well as he knows when to shoot.

Islam really does great at fighting like a wrestler. Instead of massive overhands hidden with a double leg it's a sneaky left that's hidden with clinch entries.

 

[Mentallooser]

His leg kicks were limited by fear of Islam grabbing them. He did land some great ones, but he wasn't able to set up the full set of looks that he normally does. This made him more hitable as his game became running in, grabbing a wrist and landing.

 

[ookii]

He had to worry about the TD against a much larger wrestler

 

[surgeyou1]

Volk had to load up and over extend a lot more against Islam. Max is tall but he doesn't have a long reach and is fairly willing to take a shot to give one.

 

[JustOnce]

...but quite hittable against Islam.

Either Volk gave too little credit to Islam's striking while developing a close-the-distance fight plan,

or the TD threat changed Volk's attack to make it more hittable,

or Islam is a cutting edge striker.

I don't buy the 3rd option. The heavy stuff landed by Islam wasn't exotic, it was basic.

Lot to be said for the basics, I guess.

https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/islam-will-outstrike-volkanovski-if-not-finish-him.4276665/

Sherdog's own Justonce called it. I predict these tings.

The reason why Volk was more hittable was because Volk had to fight a certain way to win this one, he didn't fight like he did against Max, which I predicted as well.

To just say it was a TD threat would be a naive view of the fight, also not giving eough credit to Islam's ability to hold his own and outstrike Volk on the feet.

The correct answer to this question is, the different game plan Volk had to use in this fight to win, relative to Holloway fight. Because, even though Islam would have won the other way, Volk would have been also less hittable while losing a less competitive fight.

 

[ALLVALLEYCHAMP]

Volk has said he and his team vastly underestimated Islam's striking

 

[DapperDave]

Islam's great timing:

Context: we are all familiar with the idea of "letting the hands go."
We know what it is like to watch a hesitant striker and yell at the TV: "Throw! Let your hands go! Don't be second, be first."

A well-trained and supremely confident fighter throws accurately every time the opponent advances into striking distance. Every time.

IMO - Islam is a well-trained confident fighter. Every time Volk advanced into his range, Islam threw. Good accuracy.
I think Oliveira discovered the same thing.

Is "timing" is just another way of describing a fighter who throws accurately every time you come into his range?

 

[DapperDave]

ETA:
Not just hands.
Strikes.
Kicks.
And impulsive knees.

 

[humdizzle]

Volk said something in an interview about how Islam has very good "eyes" and sees tricks and setups very well. But that his feet can't really keep up with his vision.