Will leg kicks be the difference in Gaethje vs Chandler?

DoubleA012

DoubleA012

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I've noticed something in Michael Chandler fights dating back to his Bellator days. Forgive me if I don't remembering everything exactly, but I know he got "drop foot" against Bret Primus. Since that fight, and maybe before that and I just didn't notice, I've seen a flaw in Chandlers game. Specifically in his two UFC fights. I don't have gifs of the movements, but if you watch the UFC Fight Motion replays that they release on youtube I believe they show some examples. Though he dominated the Hooker fight, there was a momement early in the fight where Hooker landed a nice leg kick and you could see Chandler wince and grimace before charging forward. Then in the Oliveira fight, he had obvious problems with the leg kick as he ate a rough leg kick and then a second one that took him off his feet. I feel like I had another example from Bellator (after the drop foot) but it escapes my memory. Point being, his legs seem to have "a weak chin" and Gaethje is a master leg kicker. I want to be excited for this fight, but in my mind I just keep seeing Gaethje taking his legs out from under him and getting a KO either via leg kicks or fist from the leg kicks throwing Chandler off. Has anyone else noticed this, am I making too much of the leg kicks in this potential fight?
 
Gaethje vs Chandler is an awesome fight to me, mainly because I think both guys can win at any moment. I think it's close to a 50/50 fight, Chandler can KO Gaethje but I give Gaethje the edge on the feet especially with the low kicks and being more durable, with that said Chandler also has shown much better MMA wrestling in his career and his sub grappling game is much better as well(submitted Prime Alvarez) with Gaethje's BJJ looking well below average.
 
NoBiasJustMMA said:
Gaethje vs Chandler is an awesome fight to me, mainly because I think both guys can win at any moment. I think it's close to a 50/50 fight, Chandler can KO Gaethje but I give Gaethje the edge on the feet especially with the low kicks and being more durable, with that said Chandler also has shown much better MMA wrestling in his career and his sub grappling game is much better as well(submitted Prime Alvarez) with Gaethje's BJJ looking well below average.
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I highly doubt Chandler can KO Gaethje with one punch

Justin's defense has come a long way since his wars with Eddie/Dustin, and even those guys had to throw the kitchen sink to put him away
 
Kafirov said:
Hooker's chin wasn't the same after his war with Dustin

Plus Hooker also got rocked multiple times by Edson's punches - he's tough but not exactly iron chinned
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Gaethje got KOed by Alvarez and Dustin and was rocked by Michael Johnson. Other than his last few fights he's generally got hit more than he hits people, he breaks people with his will, pace, chin and cardio but he's improved since them, that damage still happened though and IMO Chandler can KO anyone at lightweight with the right shot. Like I said though I do give Gaethje the edge on the feet but Chandler can KO/TKO him.
 
NoBiasJustMMA said:
Gaethje got KOed by Alvarez and Dustin and other than his last few fights he's generally got hit more than he hits people, he breaks people with his will, pace, chin and cardio but he's improved since them, that damage still happened though and IMO Chandler can KO anyone at lightweight with the right shot.
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He got TKO'd by Dustin, and KO'd by Eddie with a flush knee after eating 100+ clean shots to the head and body

Chandler doesn't hit that much harder than Eddie, and isn't as versatile
 
NoBiasJustMMA said:
Gaethje vs Chandler is an awesome fight to me, mainly because I think both guys can win at any moment. I think it's close to a 50/50 fight, Chandler can KO Gaethje but I give Gaethje the edge on the feet especially with the low kicks and being more durable, with that said Chandler also has shown much better MMA wrestling in his career and his sub grappling game is much better as well(submitted Prime Alvarez) with Gaethje's BJJ looking well below average.
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I was very excited for the fight when Chandler first beat Hooker, I thought they'd do Poirier/Oliveira and Chandler/Gaethje, and like you I thought 50/50, but as I've had more time to think about it I think the advantage goes to Gaethje because of the leg kicks and technical striking advantage. You make good points about Chandlers wrestling and submission grappling though, and I think if Chandler were to win it would have to be through grappling. Maybe he could get a perfectly placed one punch KO, but I'm just not sure anyone is going to get that any time soon against Gaethje, especially with his extended lay off since the Khabib fight and other than the one uppercut he really didn't get too beat up in the Tony fight so I feel like his head has had time to properly heal.
 
Kafirov said:
He got TKO'd by Dustin, and KO'd by Eddie with a flush knee after eating 100+ clean shots to the head and body

Chandler doesn't hit that much harder than Eddie, and isn't as versatile
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Chandler hits a good bit harder than Eddie IMO and i've watched most of their careers. I also disagree with you on versatility at least in terms of offense, Chandler is a much bigger threat of takedowns, GnP and submissions than Alvarez.
 
I don't think Chandler is as durable as he was during his Bellator days, I see him crumbling on the exchanges against Gaethje.
 
DoubleA012 said:
I was very excited for the fight when Chandler first beat Hooker, I thought they'd do Poirier/Oliveira and Chandler/Gaethje, and like you I thought 50/50, but as I've had more time to think about it I think the advantage goes to Gaethje because of the leg kicks and technical striking advantage. You make good points about Chandlers wrestling and submission grappling though, and I think if Chandler were to win it would have to be through grappling. Maybe he could get a perfectly placed one punch KO, but I'm just not sure anyone is going to get that any time soon against Gaethje, especially with his extended lay off since the Khabib fight and other than the one uppercut he really didn't get too beat up in the Tony fight so I feel like his head has had time to properly heal.
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I wasn't suggesting that Gaethje's chin has been reduced though it's possible(he's taken a lot of damage in his career though not in a while) I haven't seen anything to suggest it. I was saying Chandler can KO anyone at LW, I think he hits that hard with hooks and uppercuts if he sets it up right/times it right.
 
Ohh that would be like a young Humphrey Bogard on screen with a prime Mae West. So many intangibles but you know it’s going to be wonderful.
You can’t just comment on it you need a week or so to digest the question.
5 bags of popcorn 3 bags of soda.
 
I have gaethje taking this due to his leg kicks and durability. Chandler has the power to potentially spark him, but if it comes down to trading blows I think Chandler wilts first. But either way it should be a cracker of a fight if it's made. Hope we get to see it.
 
Dorkman said:
I have gaethje taking this due to his leg kicks and durability. Chandler has the power to potentially spark him, but if it comes down to trading blows I think Chandler wilts first. But either way it should be a cracker of a fight if it's made. Hope we get to see it.
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Finally someone else talks about the leg kicks! haha. Agreed though, it will be a good fight if it's made.
 
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