Was it rope a dope (tactic) or sheer imposing will?

[elbowsandwiches]

TS, are you being serious? Nobody builds a strategy around taking that much damage in the 1st round. He won and it was a great kick but let's not pretend that was his plan all along.

you are taking me to literal, I mean did he do the whole "feeling out" process (not being his usual aggressive self) and got punched a few times for it.....and then decides to turn it up in the second

 

[Shaungotti]

you are taking me to literal, I mean did he do the whole "feeling out" process (not being his usual aggressive self) and got punched a few times for it.....and then decides to turn it up in the second

Oh, OK sorry. Well, maybe he did want to feel Mein out a bit and in the process let Mein find his range and tee off.

He's been out for a while so if we're being fair, it's only natural that he'd come out of the gate a little slow. To his credit he survived a round that would have broken a lot of other fighters.

Great to have Alves back.

 

[Th3Sav4ge]

Seemed silva was toying with nick, and by the time silva realized nick was actually game....the fight was what it was

 

[silvasurfer5253]

not in the 2nd, rewatch...alves even moved different.

Exactly his whole demeanor was different in the 2nd. He looked like the Alves of 09-10. I think he just had some ring rust to shake off in the first.

 

[7437]

it was two guys with good striking, one was a guy with huge power vs a rangey fighter. the rangey fighter was winning by controlling the rnage but the guy with power eventually got an opportunity to close in and blast him

it wasnt luck or someone messing up etc. both guys played the hand they were dealt. maybe mein couldve won if he found a way to keep away from the cage, but alves managed to get him cornered

geez ^this

its not like Alves threw a desperation kick that he had never tried before. He is a kicker, and won with a big kick. Its his thing.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I think Mein was doing great but Thiago was getting closer and closer to landing his big shots and started turning the momentum his way before landing the fight ending kick.

 

[deviake]

I think he had a slow start and Mein is a lot to deal with. That said, I have to watch the fight again, as I was a bit distracted.

Alves does pretty well for for being the Muay Thai T-Rex of the WW division.

 

[Yung Dilla]

Nah not luck at all thiago is a vet and is crafty as fuck. He threw that kick with bad intentions. I think after that rough first start he was in do or die mode because he did come out like a pitbull.

 

[Gigaton Punch]

It was not rope a dope at all. He was getting torn up and was struggling to land anything significant At the same time, Thiago's a vet and isn't gonna go away easily. He survived and landed a great shot.