What will Alex haters say after he KOs Ankalaev?

[PrideNverDies]

Like who would be their great white hope then?? Or will they just bring up the fact that Izzy went 1-3 and finally got a hail Mary KO? Pretend that Nemkov is the best LHW?

 

[VinceArch]

What are you on about?

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

"Ankalaev isn't really a grappler, this means nothing!!"

 

[Ozze]

Pretty much what as said above.

Will show his stats that he barely lands a takedown each fight.

 

[Cobra 03]

The Great white hope will never be a Russian. They usually have rather meh personalities, they usually don't speak English, and in many countries, like the US, they are kind of the enemy. For those who don't follow current events, we are supporting their enemy in a current war. If UFC has a Great white hope, somebody like Tom Aspinall would be a more logical choice.

 

[sdpdude9]

Does he really have that many haters? Or is wanting the champion to fight the top contender considered hating?

 

[Legendary]

I don't really think Alex has haters, its just that people point out his tailored run full of guys willing to strike with him and its obvious the UFC is milking it before Alex gets too old.

Doesn't mean we hate him, only stupid people would come to that conclusion.

 

[Luthien]

Alex is scared of HW Alex is ducking Tom That's the new narrative that they will pick

 

[PrideNverDies]

Alex is scared of HW Alex is ducking Tom That's the new narrative that they will pick

"Alex is too big for MW...Alex is also too big for LHW!" Lol they will continue to move the goal posts

 

[Arm Barbarian]

Even if he loses, Alex has been an awesome addition to the roster.

Guy steps up at last minute and saves cards, and he always comes to bang.

Never in a boring fight.

 

[Mickey Mick]

They’ll likely give him shit for not having fought Jon Jones yet or not having gone up to heavyweight yet.

 

[OldBoy91]

What are you on about?

Dude is unhinged so I doubt even he knows.

He went off on me and called me an Alex hater because I said Jon Jones beats him by submission and that's why he wants Alex instead of Aspinall.

Ignoring the fact that I'm closer to a Jones hater and would actually be rooting for Alex in that fight.

 

[Goatenstein]

Alex's fans are going to end up making me hate him with all these idiotic threads.

 

[TheBulge]

They will say damn, he just KO'd Ankalaev.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

Like who would be their great white hope then?? Or will they just bring up the fact that Izzy went 1-3 and finally got a hail Mary KO? Pretend that Nemkov is the best LHW?

Not a "Hater" but I do have to ask why some fans speak in such absolutes about something that hasn't happened. It is not remotely unreasonable to say Alex has not faced a decent grappler since Jan who took Alex to a Split Decision. Ank is virtually undefeated and is younger and at least as well rounded as Jan. Alex's biggest area of weakness, on paper at least is his grappling. He has not been matched with anyone who has grappling and specifically offensive TDs in his UFC career. He got all his MW success based off of his kickboxing history with Izzy. He was then rushed to a LHW title shot and still never faced a grappler.

Its not being a hater to want to see him fight against an actual tough test and not more Showcase fights. If he KO's Ank I will be impressed. When he KO'd Jiri I was impressed, when he KO'd Hill I was impressed. When he KO'd Jiri I felt the rematch was rushed but it was impressive. Khalil was boring as the KO was a foregone conclusion. Not at all exciting watching a guy knowing he was predetermined to get obliterated.

Ank vs Alex is an exciting match up because it could go either way.

 

[dipstickjimmy]

"Ankalaev isn't really a grappler, this means nothing!!"

You are correct Ank isn't a D1 wrestler or an ADCC absolute champion but he also isn't Khalil Rountree. There aren't a lot of "Grappling" first guys at LHW right now but Jan took Alex to a SD at altitude (favours striking over grappling IMO) and Ank is clearly far more well rounded then Khalil and frankly more well rounded then anyone Alex has faced in his entire MMA career.

He lost the first round to Michalidis and there was offensive wrestling. Jan took him to a SD. Alex hasn't "Ducked" anyone but that doesn't mean he has defeated well rounded MMA fighters that were competent at mixing in wrestling which is his area of weakness. The UFC lining up Khalil was insulting to Alex more then it was to Ank IMO. The put him in a fight they knew he couldn't lose. That means they aren't all that sure he can beat Ank. I can't say it is a certainty either way which is what makes the fight exciting IMO. The Khalil fight was boring as fuck. Watching a guy on his way to be executed isn't exciting.

 

[CatchtheseHands]

"Ankalaev isn't really a grappler, this means nothing!!"

 

[Shaolin Alan]

They'll move on towards the next flavor

 

[Kyojiro Kagenuma]

I'd say good, he finally beat a wrestler.

 

[laleggenda27]

So wanting the champion to fight the top contenders and take on the biggest challenges is now considered "hating?"

Personally, I've rooted for Alex in every fight. But I also realize he has been protected from wrestlers. These things aren't mutually exclusive.

The problem is that the current crop of 205'ers is a historically bad division and there really aren't any high-end wrestlers. Ankalaev is the best the division has to offer, but his wrestling/grappling isn't on the level of guys like DC, Jones, Glover, Randy, Tito, Rashad, Arona, Corey Anderson, Nemkov, Bader, Hendo, etc.