What happened to JDS ?

[Peregrine01]

Gotta love these mma fans that change their perspective on a fighter from fight to fight. Guess when/if JDS KO's Overeem "he's back" and their on a high again

He may well KO Overeem, but that doesn't mean he's still the same.

 

[JKS]

He may well KO Overeem, but that doesn't mean he's still the same.

I agree with you

I pointed out many times in this thread that the JDS that was very dominant early to mid UFC career to the one that fought Cain and Miocic is really the same guy. Why I said that people will say he's back is because they just look at the result, the fans that see a fighter as good as his last fight. But dont consider that his flaws could still be there.

 

[Rum]

People also tried to say Shogun was "back" after beating Te Huna, and then again after beating Little Nog.

Some people will see what they want to see.

 

[Bearmode]

He had one bad performance where he was injured and still beat a Top 5 HW, so now he's a shot fighter?

Just wait until he clobbers Overeem, everyone will be back on the bandwagon.

Yea. Those dynamite fists will clock Reem on his pointy glass jaw. Though I doubt he will be the same fighter. Still a top contender for sure, probably beats everyone except Cain. But I think he is starting to slide

 

[Peregrine01]

I agree with you

I pointed out many times in this thread that the JDS that was very dominant early to mid UFC career to the one that fought Cain and Miocic is really the same guy. Why I said that people will say he's back is because they just look at the result, the fans that see a fighter as good as his last fight. But dont consider that his flaws could still be there.

Technically he hasn't changed. A power puncher with strong takedown defense. But even as a boxer he has always had plenty of holes: plodding footwork, propensity to keep his hands down, poor defense especially when being backed up, limited combinations.

I don't see any change in Junior's skill set. The difference now is that he is no longer as fearless or fast as he was when he was younger and his chin may not be as strong. I think he's a markedly worse fighter now than when he fought Werdum.

 

[Furious77]

Stipe gets no credit for his fight against JDS, lol.

Don't agree. Hes a contender now even though JDS beat him everywhere. Stipe stock rose from the fight and somehow people think JDS is a zombie or some shit.

 

[CJohnny]

He is still the second best HW. Werdum is a close third, don't know who is better. Cain is still the best, one fight doesn't change that.

 

[JKS]

Technically he hasn't changed. A power puncher with strong takedown defense. But even as a boxer he has always had plenty of holes: plodding footwork, propensity to keep his hands down, poor defense especially when being backed up, limited combinations.

I don't see any change in Junior's skill set. The difference now is that he is no longer as fearless or fast as he was when he was younger and his chin may not be as strong. I think he's a markedly worse fighter now than when he fought Werdum.

He's actually a much better fighter then was was back then, its not even comparable During the first few UFC fights there wasnt much opportunities to see his holes till the Cain fights. There are things that he does better in his entire game, if you cant see that they maybe you dont have the eye for it. No point in talking about it.

Its very easy to sit back and criticize a fighter for certain holes in his game, what you're doing is pretty much making Junior look like he has no qualities when it comes to footwork, defense and combinations. Which in fact he does, and he's one of the best in the division at it. He has flaws much like any fighter does, but he still does these things very well and has some great qualities in each. If you're gonna criticize JDS you should differentiate between aspects of what he does well and what he needs to work on, not make it out like its non existent.

 

[Peregrine01]

He's actually a much better fighter then was was back then, its not even comparable During the first few UFC fights there wasnt much opportunities to see his holes till the Cain fights. There are things that he does better in his entire game, if you cant see that they maybe you dont have the eye for it. No point in talking about it.

Its very easy to sit back and criticize a fighter for certain holes in his game, what you're doing is pretty much making Junior look like he has no qualities when it comes to footwork, defense and combinations. Which in fact he does, and he's one of the best in the division at it. He has flaws much like any fighter does, but he still does these things very well and has some great qualities in each. If you're gonna criticize JDS you should differentiate between aspects of what he does well and what he needs to work on, not make it out like its non existent.

Like anything, skills in boxing are ingrained via habit. A lot of Junior's holes remain persistent because they've been there from the get-go and at this point it's unlikely that he can change.

I've watched Junior fight since his very first UFC match and I really can't find major differences in his striking technique today. He still moves linearly, backs up in straight lines, keeps his hands down and loads up on one shot with little set-up. If anything, his striking his devolved as he has become less explosive and unpredictable.

 

[jeremyemilio]

Do you really belive that ? , Pre Cain JDS and former JDS are pretty different fighters.

Based on what? His single close fight with Stipe?

I don't get where you're coming from.

I've always said that the second and third fight with Cain were likely to turn out to have some very noticeable negative effects going forward, but the sample size so far (1 close fight that he won... unless you're also counting his spinning kick ko of Hunt) isn't enough to tell us anything.

(And the whole boxing the Klitschkos things was always ridiculous and was never, at any point in his career, any more realistic than it is now.)

 

[Deleted member 409801]

I don't think I've ever rooted for the guy in the past, but I respect him. I feel bad for him after those horrific beatings, too. I kinda hope he finds some way to win the belt back eventually, though first I want Hunt and Arlovski to win it.



How do people die when the bullet only travels through their body for a fraction of the second? Sorcery. It's almost like time is not the sole factor when determining how bad damage is...

Lol! What an idiotic idea. Reginald Denny only got stomped on by a mob for 3 minutes and only took 1 brick to the head.....the body can recover!

 

[JKS]

Like anything, skills in boxing are ingrained via habit. A lot of Junior's holes remain persistent because they've been there from the get-go and at this point it's unlikely that he can change.

I've watched Junior fight since his very first UFC match and I really can't find major differences in his striking technique today. He still moves linearly, backs up in straight lines, keeps his hands down and loads up on one shot with little set-up. If anything, his striking his devolved as he has become less explosive and unpredictable.

I am talking about this entire mma game, not just the boxing part. He's always been a good boxer, you're not going to see drastic improvements in that element. But he has made improvements in those things you mentioned movement wise, not to the point where its gone but not as persistent. Its easy to say those flaws are still present when he makes them a few times a few fight, but you have to pick up all the other times when he does show good defense and movement.

Keeping hands low is something that many mma strikers do like Conor and Gus, partly because they can defend the takedowns better and otherwise they can disguise their punches. It works for Junior because it allows him to throw some of his key strikes better. He has that looping overhand right, his long range uppercut and his jab to the body, those work better for him from that position rather then hands up high.

You say his striking has devolved? The Miocic fight shows how he's done some good work with his boxing. He won that fight with his boxing, vs one of the best technical boxers at HW. Its not flawless, he made errors like any other fighter but for the most part he did quite well. Where I do criticize JDS is that he hasnt developed his striking game well beyond the boxing. He showed good kicks and knees in his early and mid UFC fights, I expected him to develop his kicking game more by now. We'll see how he looks vs Reem.