How exactly does one gameplan for Usman?

No, outstrike him. Usman's striking is still pretty basic and his striking defense is a weakness. Anyone with mediocre or better striking and elite tdd will pick him apart on the feet.

Elite TDD is a tall order. Woodley has great TDD and we saw what happened.

On the feet, you don't want to eat too many punches from that dude, he can put anyone away IMO. Pair that with the wrestling pressure, physicality and cardio, its gonna be tough bro.

Not even a fan but I just think he's not losing anytime soon.
 
Elite TDD is a tall order. Woodley has great TDD and we saw what happened.

On the feet, you don't want to eat too many punches from that dude, he can put anyone away IMO. Pair that with the wrestling pressure, physicality and cardio, its gonna be tough bro.

Not even a fan but I just think he's not losing anytime soon.

Woodley has shit cardio and sits his ass on the fence all night and has the record for least strikes thrown ever in a title fight. On the feet, you shouldn't eat many strikes from usman....unless you're at that basic level with him like Covington is. His striking is really basic man. Powerful, but basic.
 
I think Wonderboy could beat him. Usman's striking defense is bad enough for a guy as slick as Thompson to score on him at will on the feet. Obviously the depends on Thompson's ability to avoid grappling exchanges but i think he's skilled enough to potentially do so.
 
A good striker with TDD = Masvidal

The whole first page still sleeping on him
 
Woodley has shit cardio and sits his ass on the fence all night and has the record for least strikes thrown ever in a title fight. On the feet, you shouldn't eat many strikes from usman....unless you're at that basic level with him like Covington is. His striking is really basic man. Powerful, but basic.
I agree it is basic. He's not the most skilled guy... But with physical attributes like that, your striking can be basic.

Even if he faces a good striker with great TDD, that guy will also need KO power to break that granite chin and elite cardio to not gas from all that TDD he'll be doing... Sounds like nobody near the top WWs.

He's just playing the game with most of the sliders turned on 100 if you know what I mean.
 
Geoff Neal looked impressive dispatching Perry like he didn’t belong, seems to have good TDD, we will see as he moves up if that holds at the elite level. Definitely think if he could keep it standing he could present Usman some problems, he’s definitely a fighter to keep on the radar.
 
A good striker with TDD = Masvidal

The whole first page still sleeping on him

Masvidal
1doesnt have elite TDD
2 doesn't have real 1 punch KO power
3 doesn't have a great chin
4 can't keep that type of pace for 25 minutes
 
I agree it is basic. He's not the most skilled guy... But with physical attributes like that, your striking can be basic.

Even if he faces a good striker with great TDD, that guy will also need KO power to break that granite chin and elite cardio to not gas from all that TDD he'll be doing... Sounds like nobody near the top WWs.

He's just playing the game with most of the sliders turned on 100 if you know what I mean.

I'm not convinced that he has a granite chin.
 
How come?

"Granite" may be me over exaggerating but I was really impressed with his chin on Saturday.

I actually like colby, but the guy can't bust a grape. He's a volume guy if there ever was one. Do you think if someone like Lawler was landing left hands over and over and over the way Covington was that Usman would still be standing?

I do realize that there's not really anyone with the skillset that I'm talking about at WW right now. Edwards is the closest thing, but he doesn't have much power either, but what he does have is far better striking that usman and elite striking defense. If Edwards can keep the fight standing, I think he'd have that fight in the bag.
 
He was visibly stunned by a bunch of them. Made you wonder if a few of them in a row could push him over the edge.

Yes, and being a little stunned by Colby covington is not a good sign to me.
 
Fair points but consider this, the one guy who could arguably match or exceed Usman's wrestling is the guy he just TKOd. Every other Title defense from now on he can just resort to wrestling guys to death.

I don't see anybody giving him problems in the foreseeable future.
Every time everybody starts overrating a new champion saying "I don't see anybody giving _ problems" said champion loses. MMA is incredibly short sighted. I guaranteed Leon Edwards would fuck up Usman. His timing and distance is near perfect and his wrestling has grown tremendously since their first fight.
 
Usman threw like that because of his opponent. His striking isn't advanced, but he's strong, rangey, and is a bully in the clinch and on the fence. If someone is worried about the TD, it's even more dire. You'd need a Robert Whitaker type of fighter. No such thing exists at WW right now (maybe?).

The opponent needs some grappling chops. There needs to be a plan B, C, and possibly D to stop that pressure and caliber of grappling. In addition to the sprawl for the double you'd need a whizzer for the single leg attempt. A good frame in the open, awareness of the cage (either for avoiding the clinch and TD or knowledge of how to use the cage to wall walk away from the mat).

Plus, the fight may get to the ground anyway. Escapes, controlling posture and use of a butterfly guard to keep Usman from advancing to buy time to get back to the feet, etc. Lots of opening, closing and transitioning between guard types while on bottom. Lot of nuances.

Usually, a sprawl and foot work isn't enough. Especially against the chain. There's 2nd and 3rd order effects that need to be planned for. Usually, strikers hadn't evolved their game to deal with all of that. Colby having a strong wrestling background caused Usman not to pursue wrestling in the fight.

Usman will not kick box to win against a guy he feels he can control like a ragdoll. Usman looked at Woodley one time and knew Woodley would fold under the pressure.
 
Strike. Lol everyone was enjoying those two swing at each other but in reality it was so sloppy and poor it was embarrassing.
 
Good TDD isn't the most important part imo.
Considering Usman mostly uses the cage for TDs, I believe good footwork is the most important part to beat him, same with Khabib.

I think his physicality is a big problem for many, but it mostly comes into play in the clinch.
If you can avoid that, his striking and cardio heavy style can be exploited.

Wonderboy, Edwards, Masvidal, Ponz have the skills and fight IQ to pull it off imo.
 
Gastelum is the answer if he decides to quit being a fat fuck.
 
A good striker with TDD = Masvidal

The whole first page still sleeping on him
Prior to Saturday I'd have said no chance. But Usman really does look so slow and so easy to hit.
If Masvidal cracks him early and often I'd say he has a decent chance.
 

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