UFC 260: Stipe vs Ngannou 2

[Sono07]

Just playing devil's advocate, but I thought Morales looked significantly worse at 145 compared to his fights at 155, including output and cardio.

Understandable but I think people are seriously short selling Chikadze here. The guy has holes in mma but his kickboxing is elite( at least as long as his cardio lasts). Stylistically that wasn't even a good match up for Omar. Omar is primarily a boxer and Giga's heavy use of kicking range stopped Omar from ever really finding his range or getting his offense going. Even then Omar never stopped trying to pressure forward and win the fight. Omar lost that fight soundly but that loss holds much more merit than both of Youngs ufc wins in my opinion.

 

[Sono07]

Every time I see Volkanovski has beaten a lower ranked fighter and started training with them(Young/Mullarkey) I can't help but think of this clip.

"We have purposely trained him wrong, as a joke"

 

[Kazda1]

I'll be the first to admit I have yet to watch the Burns/Woodley fight all the way through. I'm watching the first round now and seeing him get put down in the first minute of the fight is just........sad. I didn't bother watching the Covington fight, but essentially what I see is just that he's not only hesitant, he's athletically shot. He's slow. He can't explode anymore. Burns kind of hit him with a few body kicks Woodley couldn't even get his arms down in time to block. I mean, that one exchange where Burns landed the body kick and left hook with 20 seconds left to go in the first and Woodley just completely whiffs that overhand right and tries to clap/cheer himself into the fight is just a sign to me he knows his weapons are just gone.

He's not a volume guy, he hasn't wrestled in ages; I'm not going to be mad at anyone who thinks he changes the tide in this fight, but man.......He's done........So sad.

 

[Kowboy Karl]

I was basically thinking along the same line as @Brockstar here. I remember being completely perplexed that Stipe wasn't going for a RNC. I haven't seen the fight in a very long time, but I just remember the door being open.

I agree with you @HockeyBjj that it's unlikely, and it wouldn't be worth anything more than a small play. But if Stipe is to execute a similar game plan, and Ngannou hasn't improved his ground defence, it seems like an obvious PTV since it's a low skill option that you've gotta think his coaching team has pointed out to him. It might be his easiest PTV, even more than GnP

Id imagine stipe didn’t want to risk winding up on bottom

 

[BaruchSpinoza]

I am surprised Stipe by decision is +450. I actually really like that line: Ngannou has looked extremely durable, and I don't expect Stipe to take any risks chasing a finish.

Was actually expecting there to be some value on Stipe by KO, but at only +250 I much prefer the decision line.

 

[Captain Chesapeake]

Around -200 give or take. Although im a lil cautious how bad he looked in his FW debut.

What did you buy at?

 

[Sono07]

Ngannou weighing in at 263 and Stipe almost 30lbs lighter at 234.

 

[theTKDguy]

Ngannou weighing in at 263 and Stipe almost 30lbs lighter at 234.

 

[StewDogg11]

Not that surprising. He was lighter than that against Cormier last time out.

 

[Sono07]

Looks like everyone is in and on weight. Now to wait for Card to work his magic

 

[LEMONZEST]

Ngannou weighing in at 263 and Stipe almost 30lbs lighter at 234.

Good news. His game plan is probably to stick and move not wrestle. Ngannou will probably be gassed halfway through r2 if Stipe is still hanging around.

 

[Sono07]

Good news. His game plan is probably to stick and move not wrestle. Ngannou will probably be gassed halfway through r2 if Stipe is still hanging around.

That apex small cage doesn't leave much room to move or margin for error. Looks like he is only about 10lbs lighter than the first Ngannou fight though.

 

[Card]

Everyone made weight.

 

[loller90278]

V Luque To Win By Decision or Tec. Decision @ +140 is looking pretty spicy.

piece him up, avoid the big right hand, rinse & repeat for 15 min

 

[Sono07]

V Luque To Win By Decision or Tec. Decision @ +140 is looking pretty spicy.

piece him up, avoid the big right hand, rinse & repeat for 15 min

Did you see that face off pic? Nothing looking big about that right hand anymore. I'm torn Luque Dec is probably the play but Luque hurts people and Woodley quit his last fight before Covington could finish him.

 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Woodley getting rocked by Burns makes me think Luque might finish him. Maybe he gets teed off on like the ol' Marquardt fight. I'm thinking about it.

 

[PuertoRican]

Lord Oleksiejczuk is looking softer and more out of shape for this fight than I remember in his previous fights. He is usually soft and small, but seems softer this time.

If he lands clean a few times in R1, I guess his physique won't matter, but he is known for having poor cardio, so looking like he just rolled off of the couch for this fight isn't great if you're backing him.

 

[theTKDguy]

Not that surprising. He was lighter than that against Cormier last time out.

Yup, against dc who was lighter too.

First 5 minutes are gonna be nerveracking, for sure. Just like the first one. 30 lbs is a bit much imho.

 

[rev0lver]

I am surprised Stipe by decision is +450. I actually really like that line: Ngannou has looked extremely durable, and I don't expect Stipe to take any risks chasing a finish.

Was actually expecting there to be some value on Stipe by KO, but at only +250 I much prefer the decision line.

I'm kind of torn on this. Stipe didn't really try to chase a finish in the first fight, and he's probably going to play less risky. But the vast majority of his career wins are by knockout. And he did rock Ngannou a couple times in their first fight. It's hard to say how durable Ngannou really is when his chin hasn't been tested that hard. If Stipe can hit one of those again and drop him, I expect he'll go for it.

 

[Sono07]

Any thoughts on Azitar NSC at +105? Haven't finished taping it but I'm thinking Abu either KO's Marc or gets outworked.