What Strategy should Cowboy use vs Conor McGregor?

[NoBiasJustMMA]

Use kicks on the outside when he can go for the clinch and bring Conor to the cage and work the legs and body. Go for trip takedowns and body locks.

 

[elwani]

Like several of the posts above, I also think Cowboy's best strategy is to grind him against the fence, basically GSP's strategy against BJ (coincidentally also a fight where a bigger fighter was fighting someone with superior boxing). In all fights where a bigger guy is fighting a smaller but technically more sound guy, that is the strategy to bring your size to bear. It will cost the smaller guy more energy to clinch with you, and Conor's endurance is already a known weakness.

I wouldn't kick the first round because Conor's bread and butter is countering from distance. But countering takes a lot of sharpness and energy, so grind him until you feel he's tired and only then go into heavy Muay Thai pressure.

Also a small observation. I was rewatching Conor Diaz 2 and Diaz was having a lot of success jabbing to the body, because Conor's go to counter in that fight was to counter with the left over Nate's right jab at the head, but if you jab to the body, Conor's counter is always high. Jabbing to the body is also good for tiring the opponent out. Jabbing to the body is also safer if you're taller and Conor's not known to throw counter knees anyway.

 

[Coconutwater]

Mate, that left hand is effective because his kicks are so much of a threat that the opponents leave themselves open for the left hand while avoiding the kicks.

If the opponents worry too much about the left hand, we could easily see a head kick KO from him. Perhaps this video might help.

And then you have that snapping front kick of his that's not even used to set up the left hand. It's a game changer on its own. Chad Mendes will tell you.

I'm not saying his kicks aren't a threat, any weapon that lands cleanly, be it an elbow, high kick or knee can knock someone out or change the direction of a fight...

I'm saying Conor throws the kicks mainly as disruptors to set up his hands or manage distance, if the kicks actually land, it's a bonus for him. It's not like Cro Cop who throws the kick to literally KO you.

Conor's kicks can hurt and KO someone, but he's not a kicker in the sense that he's using them as his primary weapon. It's the left hand...

 

[Coconutwater]

Also a small observation. I was rewatching Conor Diaz 2 and Diaz was having a lot of success jabbing to the body, because Conor's go to counter in that fight was to counter with the left over Nate's right jab at the head, but if you jab to the body, Conor's counter is always high. Jabbing to the body is also good for tiring the opponent out. Jabbing to the body is also safer if you're taller and Conor's not known to throw counter knees anyway.

This is gold.

 

[Bobbybackpack]

he would be countered . its worse thing he could do

What's the best thing he could've done?

 

[Bobbybackpack]

Hello

 

[Bobbybackpack]

Meaning he has more heart, way more heart than Colin. Vitor has more heart than Colin.

The fucking TIN MAN has more heart than Colin.

Your life must be sad. Are you the guy who got his phone smashed?

 

[TalibaN]

What's the best thing he could've done?

15 minutes wresling. make his hands and shoulders full of lactic acid t