UFC 281 On ESPN+ PPV [11/12 @ 10 pm ET] “The Big Payback…Revenge” (Israel Adesanya/Alex Pereira)

[Primetime]

I agree with yall that Izzy fukked that up and deserved that L. I'll also say we saw a distinction between Izzy and prime/coked out Jon Jones. Someone like Pereira would be food if Jones had him down on his back.. we're talking smothered and leaking with elbows of death and inevitable submission.

Whereas Izzy couldn't really do anything and had to stand back up. Same in round 4, where there should've been a methodical setup for a trip/take down early to finish the job but it looked like Izzy was either just as gassed, or didn't feel he had it in him to go down that path again.

 

[Duke Wy Lin]

Hilarious thing is Aldesanya is probably the only dude that Alex could beat for a title. He loses to anyone else in the top 5. Styles makes fights

I would agree, but dude is absolutely massive for the division and his reach is atrocious. Add freakish power into the mix. Guys like Whittaker were struggling with Izzy's reach

 

[xXMASHERXx]

When you consider Izzy's non existent ground game he actually overchieved in the UFC.

Leave it to The Coli to overreact. MW is full of wrestlers and kickboxers, how has he overachieved

 

[Deafheaven]

Man this is kind of terrible for breh legacy lol.

the FIRST time someone who is as good a striker as you fights you, you get starched?

 

[firemanBk]

vettori is not that guy. whittaker made it clear there's levels between vettori and all the real contenders lol

I don't think Vettori is that great either, just that he's a bad match up for Alex. Iron chin and he's relentless with the take down attempts. He can actually grapple worth a fukk unlike Izzy
Whittaker not a dumbfukk though he will take Alex out if he gets a shot

 

[etrofllenrod504]

What cost Izzy was the lack of ability to exploit Alex biggest hole. Which was clearly the grappling exchange. Unless a fighter comes from a bjj/sambo/wrestling background we have to see what the ground game like being that new to mma. Alex already had rent in Izzy head(on the feet). Izzy still being under developed in takedown/ground work cost him. Alex literally was just power standing back up, no wrist control, no addressing hooks, zero guard. A solid grappler would’ve subbed Alex in that situation(Whitaker) would’ve got him out. Once Izzy kept accepting his back to the cage nothing good was going to come from that with a guy like Alex.

 

[Lurk Angle]

Andersons silva was a much more talented fighter and striker.

izzy is just really good at using his size and reach, but over all his boxing is kinda trash.

Anderson would of never let pereria Walk him down like that either

 

[Doctor Doom]

As a breh that doesn't follow MMA, I have a question for the kats that do:

So...does Izzy have a serviceable ground game [mainly in regards to submissions]? Apparently, he's lethal on his feet, but if he's scared to let shyt rip because of his opponent's power, shouldn't he have, idk, went for a submission when he had him tired in round 4?

If he's bad on the ground as well, then how the fukk was he champion? Is the rest of the division that bad?

I thought Izzy had a serviceable grappling but tonight exposed how non-existent it is and why wrestling needs to come back to the Middleweight division for it to thrive. Izzy has Jon Jones reach at Middleweight against a bunch of guys who he always had at least 6+ inches on ( ) and was noticeably quicker. He could easily backpedal/weave out of any sort of forward pressure.

He ran into someone who didn't have a reach disadvantage, similar striking (but with much, much, much more power). So he needed to rely on a non-existent ground game to do the job, but lack of fight IQ (for some odd fukking reason) led him to take off the fourth round and let someone with LHW/HW power get his breath back, find the range, and put his brains on spin cycle.

 

[Vilify]

Its definitely an early stoppage for sure..I mean he was still weaving...but not sure he would have survived it.....so im not angry at the early stoppage

Nah no way he survives. If he was fighting someone that was going to shoot for a takedown after hurting him maybe he could survive, but Pereira was going to stay on his ass and put him out.

 

[firemanBk]

Damn both the Nigerian champs go down in the 5th in fights they had clear leads in
This is why Silva was the GOAT. He would just get the guys outta there before they had a chance to come back

 

[UncleTomFord15]

Was robbed the first fight.

Alex got saved by the bell 2nd fight. Losing terribly. Comes back and koed him.

Alex got saved by the bell the 3rd fight. Losing terribly. Comes back and koed him again

 

[Deafheaven]

What cost Izzy was the lack of ability to exploit Alex biggest hole. Which was clearly the grappling exchange. Unless a fighter comes from a bjj/sambo/wrestling background we have to see what the ground game like being that new to mma. Alex already had rent in Izzy head(on the feet). Izzy still being under developed in takedown/ground work cost him. Alex literally was just power standing back up, no wrist control, no addressing hooks, zero guard. A solid grappler would’ve subbed Alex in that situation(Whitaker) would’ve got him out. Once Izzy kept accepting his back to the cage nothing good was going to come from that with a guy like Alex.

dude already was a better striker than everyone else in the division dunno why he didn't also become cold in bbj or some shyt.

hindsight is 20/20 though


man I can't believe he really lost, let this dude spin the block on his ass from a whole nother organization

 

[Lavish]

Nah no way he survives. If he was fighting someone that was going to shoot for a takedown after hurting him maybe he could survive, but Pereira was going to stay on his ass and put him out.

I'm gonna assume u didn't read my full post

 

[xXMASHERXx]

Man this is kind of terrible for breh legacy lol.

the FIRST time someone who is as good a striker as you fights you, you get starched?

 

[Duke Wy Lin]

Damn…. Izzy got up out of there….. no post fight interview from Rogan

And that's supposed to be 'his nikka'