UFC 196: McGregor vs Diaz

[David]

bottom line is, if McGregor lands flush on RDA, he's getting knocked out or going down immediately to be finished off as a formality - like Aldo, Brimage, Mendes, Siver, Poirier, and Brandao all did.

 

And if RDA catches McGregor flush? The same thing will happen, much like it did when he caught Benson Henderson & Donald Cerrone;

 

 

 

This has the makings of a great fight, with both guys more than capable of finishing the fight quickly.

[lambyUK]

It certainly is an incredible fight on paper, and most definitely a superfight in my eyes. 

 

You're correct too that RDA could be finishing Mcgregor within a heartbeat as well. The discussion of Mcgregor's KO power really came about simply because of what he brings in comparison to RDA's previous opponents. As you put above, you could easily go into many discussions the other way about how RDA finishes the fight too. 

 

It's why he's rightly favourite. 

 

Personally, if you just compare striking, I think Mcgregor is far superior to RDA. From a finishing perspective Mcgregor's stats are frightening. It's the reason why I'm personally picking Mcgregor, despite the fact I'm terrified for Mcgregor too.

[herbie747]

 

bottom line is, if McGregor lands flush on RDA, he's getting knocked out or going down immediately to be finished off as a formality - like Aldo, Brimage, Mendes, Siver, Poirier, and Brandao all did.

 

And if RDA catches McGregor flush? The same thing will happen, much like it did when he caught Benson Henderson & Donald Cerrone;

 

 

 

 

 

Fully agree - that's why is so interesting. Heavyweight power from 2 faster weight class guys - both guys in their prime and have looked like killers!

[David]

Personally, if you just compare striking, I think Mcgregor is far superior to RDA. From a finishing perspective Mcgregor's stats are frightening. It's the reason why I'm personally picking Mcgregor, despite the fact I'm terrified for Mcgregor too.

 

That goes without saying though, doesn't it? McGregor's striking is up there with the best in the sport at the moment.

 

On the ground though? I don't think Connor has faced anyone with the calibre of ground game that RDA has. Not only is his BJJ off the chart, but his ability to wrestle and control an opponent is amazing.

[Carbomb]

Yeah, basically everyone can be thrown into the discussion then.

 

I don't know why there's this uber-defensiveness that some seem to have when it comes to Connor, but all I was doing was saying that he's more of an accurate striker who hits hard.

 

If you asked me for three heavy-handed, one-punch KO artists the names I'd give you would include the likes of Hendo, Country and Hunt. Those guys are well known for fight-changing KO power.

 

If you asked me for three accurate strikers who hit hard, but tend to possess more accuracy than straight out KO power I'd say McGregor, Machida and Wonderboy Thompson.

 

Again, that's not a slight on the guy, it's just how I see it. His style is more akin to the guys I mentioned him alongside than any heavy-handed sluggers I can think of.

 

That's a bit of an overboard reaction to my post, which was supposed to be a joke about Bader, Fitch, Rosholt and Shields being utterly boring. Granted, it wasn't a brilliant joke, but I thought you'd spot it.

 

Fucking hell, I'm starting to remember why I'd stopped really posting here. ...

 

Anyway, I'm sorry I said anything. I simply don't have the energy to debate these small, trivial points. If everyone else wants to consider McGregor a one-punch KO artist, batter in. I've explained my point as well as I can really be arsed to.

 

Forums are for debate and discussion, which is exactly what everyone's been doing. It's not like it's been a massive flame war. I'd have thought you'd enjoy discussing stuff like this. I've certainly enjoyed reading both sides of it.

[David]

 

Yeah, basically everyone can be thrown into the discussion then.

 

I don't know why there's this uber-defensiveness that some seem to have when it comes to Connor, but all I was doing was saying that he's more of an accurate striker who hits hard.

 

If you asked me for three heavy-handed, one-punch KO artists the names I'd give you would include the likes of Hendo, Country and Hunt. Those guys are well known for fight-changing KO power.

 

If you asked me for three accurate strikers who hit hard, but tend to possess more accuracy than straight out KO power I'd say McGregor, Machida and Wonderboy Thompson.

 

Again, that's not a slight on the guy, it's just how I see it. His style is more akin to the guys I mentioned him alongside than any heavy-handed sluggers I can think of.

 

That's a bit of an overboard reaction to my post, which was supposed to be a joke about Bader, Fitch, Rosholt and Shields being utterly boring. Granted, it wasn't a brilliant joke, but I thought you'd spot it.

 

Yeah, I caught that after the fact, my apologies.

 

I had slipped into west of Scotland slang, where we refer to people as "cunts" in a general sense. I try not to, but it happens now and then 

[Carbomb]

 

 

Yeah, basically everyone can be thrown into the discussion then.

 

I don't know why there's this uber-defensiveness that some seem to have when it comes to Connor, but all I was doing was saying that he's more of an accurate striker who hits hard.

 

If you asked me for three heavy-handed, one-punch KO artists the names I'd give you would include the likes of Hendo, Country and Hunt. Those guys are well known for fight-changing KO power.

 

If you asked me for three accurate strikers who hit hard, but tend to possess more accuracy than straight out KO power I'd say McGregor, Machida and Wonderboy Thompson.

 

Again, that's not a slight on the guy, it's just how I see it. His style is more akin to the guys I mentioned him alongside than any heavy-handed sluggers I can think of.

 

That's a bit of an overboard reaction to my post, which was supposed to be a joke about Bader, Fitch, Rosholt and Shields being utterly boring. Granted, it wasn't a brilliant joke, but I thought you'd spot it.

 

Yeah, I caught that after the fact, my apologies.

 

I had slipped into west of Scotland slang, where we refer to people as "cunts" in a general sense. I try not to, but it happens now and then 

 

 

No worries. I didn't object to the "cunts" thing though, was amusing.

[Rey_Piste]

 

 

Personally, if you just compare striking, I think Mcgregor is far superior to RDA. From a finishing perspective Mcgregor's stats are frightening. It's the reason why I'm personally picking Mcgregor, despite the fact I'm terrified for Mcgregor too.

That goes without saying though, doesn't it? McGregor's striking is up there with the best in the sport at the moment.

 

On the ground though? I don't think Connor has faced anyone with the calibre of ground game that RDA has. Not only is his BJJ off the chart, but his ability to wrestle and control an opponent is amazing.

Conor did well against Mendes at short notice, but it's still going to be a big difference with RDA having a full camp compared to the Mendes fight. So whilst everyone said that Conor had never faced a wrestler, he still hasn't shown a lot more than decent defense.

[jimufctna24]

Forums are for debate and discussion, which is exactly what everyone's been doing. It's not like it's been a massive flame war. I'd have thought you'd enjoy discussing stuff like this. I've certainly enjoyed reading both sides of it.

 

The MMA threads on this forum are probably the cosiest place on the internet. It's very rare that insults get thrown around. 

[David]

Conor did well against Mendes at short notice, but it's still going to be a big difference with RDA having a full camp compared to the Mendes fight. So whilst everyone said that Conor had never faced a wrestler, he still hasn't shown a lot more than decent defense.

 

 

 

I'm not even looking at this in a "what has McGregor shown us on the ground?" kind of way, and more in a "RDA is shit hot on the deck and would trouble pretty much anyone in the division" kind of way.

 

I'm not sure that people realise exactly how good he is on the ground from a pure BJJ standpoint. He's not just a legit black belt, but a third degree black belt under Aldo Januario, who's lineage includes both Carlos Gracie jnr & snr. 

 

Aside from the well-known guys such as Maia & Jacare, I'd say he's right up there when it comes to grappling.

 

Throw into the mix his MMA wrestling and he's a handful on the floor for anyone, regardless of their pedigree.

[jimufctna24]

The question is - Can RDA get McGregor to the mat?

 

I agree that if RDA is able to get the fight to the ground, it probably won't end well for McGregor. If he does so for a prolonged period of time, it's probable that RDA will secure a stoppage. However, in an interview a few weeks back, Cruz said that he didn't think RDA had the wrestling to trouble McGregor. It is just Cruz's opinion, but it's an educated opinion.

 

I think the most likely outcome is for RDA to win by stoppage in the mid-rounds, after slicing McGregor up on the ground. But it's a very loose prediction, there is little certainty as to what will actually happen. 

[David]

The question is - Can RDA get McGregor to the mat?

 

I agree that if RDA is able to get the fight to the ground, it probably won't end well for McGregor. If he does so for a prolonged period of time, it's probable that RDA will secure a stoppage. However, in an interview a few weeks back, Cruz said that he didn't think RDA had the wrestling to trouble McGregor. It is just Cruz's opinion, but it's an educated opinion.

 

I think the most likely outcome is for RDA to win by stoppage in the mid-rounds, after slicing McGregor up on the ground. But it's a very loose prediction, there is little certainty as to what will actually happen. 

 

I'd have agreed with you before I saw him decimate a far better striker on the feet in Cowboy Cerrone. He walked through one of the hardest hitters in the division like he wasn't even there.

[jimufctna24]

I'm not sleeping on RDA's striking. The Pettis fight displayed how good his striking is.

 

However, while the Cerrone blowout was impressive, it's not the first time that Cerrone has been caught early. Pettis took him apart in 2013. The likes of Guillard and Barboza also had Cerrone in serious trouble early on in their respective fights. Cerrone has a habit of leaving openings early on in fights.

 

I think the key is distance. The more distance McGregor can create between himself and RDA, the better chance he has. 

[Egg Shen]

Ive actually picked RDA by Sub. in the poll. I think it may be a step to far for Conor in terms of size and skillsets, if Conor goes out and walks through dos Anjos though i'll find it hard to not call him one of the p4p best ever.

 

As for the power discussion, i know what David's getting at with the haymaker punching KO artists, but Conor has strange power, the accuracy is the main factor but there's no doubting he punches incredibly hard to back it up, his opponents have crumpled when he's hit them, he's made good strikers who have a history of standing and trading just fall to bits when he's hit them a few times.

[wandshogun09]

Exactly Ebb. And that's all I was getting at. Obviously accuracy and timing are going to be a big factor as well but without the power you probably wouldn't see him finishing so many of his opponents. Look at Floyd Mayweather, for example. You don't get any more accurate than him, and you'd be hard pressed to find a fighter with better timing. But you rarely see him stopping fights and that's partly because power is one of the few (maybe the only) gifts he lacks when it comes to fighting. Jon Jones is another example. He's very accurate with his strikes but even he admits he lacks power. Which is why all of his finishes are submissions or TKOs via a shitstorm of ground and pound etc.

 

I started this whole silly debate when I said McGregor had 'big KO power', sorry. Maybe that was the wrong term because McGregor isn't one punch killing everyone but you all know what I meant, right? He's got some fucking venom in his punches, I don't think that's something you can dispute. It will be interesting to see how his power looks at lightweight though.

 

Sorry David..

 

I love that knockout. I know the Aldo one was more meaningful and the moment and manner of the KO made that KO better overall. But without the context, that Buchinger KO is McGregor's best yet for me as far as a pure clean knockout goes. The way McGregor slips Buchinger's punch and counters with the perfect punch is beautiful to watch. It doesn't get much better than that.