UFC 216: Ferguson vs Lee

[Chunk]

10 minutes ago, wandshogun09 said:

That's what makes it such a great fight. Ferguson does get tagged a fair bit in fights. So McGregor could whack him. Especially in the first couple of rounds. But I still think Ferguson is a really difficult fight for Conor. Of all the guys at 155, who's a harder challenge for McGregor, bar maybe Khabib? I don't think there's any one area where McGregor would be 'safe' with Ferguson. I'd say McGregor is a bit better on the feet but Ferguson is dangerous there himself, mixes up his attacks, he's awkward, lanky etc. On the ground I think Ferguson gives Conor fits. He's got cardio for days, which is another thing McGregor could struggle with if the fight went long. And despite being hittable he's tough as shit, durable and there's no quit in him. You only have to look at this Kevin Lee fight to see Ferguson has mad heart. He was mounted and getting beat down in the first and turned it around. Lando bounced him all around the cage as well and he came back to stop him. He's a twat and his interviews are cheesy as hell but he brings a lot of problems to Conor's door IMO. I'd go as far as to say if Conor doesn't get him out of there within 2, Ferguson probably wins that fight. And even the hittable thing, it's not like McGregor is some master of defence himself. There was the 2 Diaz fights, obviously. But he was getting clipped a lot in the Mendes fight as well and Mendes' boxing is very basic AND he's got little T-Rex arms. 

We'll see. Hopefully it happens because it's a really interesting one. I'd love it if you turn out to be right and McGregor batters him but I don't think it'll be plain sailing at all. 

Agree with everything you post, there. I'm not saying it'll be an Alvarez style domination for Conor ... I just think he wins the fight.

[lambyUK]

Whilst Ferguson is unorthodox with his striking, for me he's not on the same level as Mcgregor standing.

Same old question is can Mcrgregor finish Ferguson in 2? I think he can, but it's what makes the fight great.

[ColinBollocks]

They're different sort of stand up fighters. McGregor is like a ghost for a round and a half, where as Ferguson relies ALOT on his toughness and chin - he's usually always happy to take one of your shots to land one of his. He'll definitely get caught by McGregor, unless he suddenly changes his style.

As discussed, it comes down to whether McGregor can end it within the first two, because Ferguson is like the Terminator. I think Luke Thomas had a great point on his latest show, he said the trouble with fighting Ferguson is he starts at a 7/8 and never dips, while his opponents usually always eventually dip below that - the Lee fight being a good example of that. The trouble for McGregor is, unless he suddenly sorts out his cardio/energy issues, he starts out at a 9/10, but usually always blows his arse out and is down to a supremely low level after the 2nd. Ferguson is like a Nate Diaz with roided up video game stats; fighting Ferguson while clearly out of gas must be one of the most challenging things to overcome in the sport.

I can't wait to watch it. Both fighters are boss.

[David]

I think that Ferguson is like an intelligent, more all-rounded Nate, and for that reason he gives McGregor problems. Conor has yet to really prove that he can handle the pace at 155lbs in my opinion. One fight against someone who's the same size as he is in Alvarez doesn't quite answer the questions for me, and I'm not entirely convinced by him at 155lbs yet.

Ferguson isn't far off 6ft tall, and he has 2.5 inches of reach on Conor. He's the bigger man, and he's also got cardio to burn, a solid chin, and is great on the ground.

If I was Conor I'd be doing all I can to put that fight off as long as possible, and I think that's what he'll be pushing for. Easier to fight a Diaz than ol' Tony.

[wandshogun09]

Saying that though, it's not like Diaz is necessarily the 'easy' option either. Sure, it'll make McGregor more coin but as a fight it's not going to be any day at the beach, is it? They've already had two wars, one in which McGregor got strangled. Diaz is always going to be a tough fight for McGregor. Winnable, yeah. Financially rewarding, absolutely. But a hard as fuck fight all the same. 

When you look at the 155 division, there really are no easy fights. Ferguson, Diaz and Khabib are all equipped to give McGregor nightmares on their good days. Then just behind them there's Justin Gaethje, Edson Barboza and I still think a rematch with Eddie Alvarez could go differently. It's said a lot but lightweight is a shark tank. 

[David]

4 hours ago, wandshogun09 said:

Saying that though, it's not like Diaz is necessarily the 'easy' option either. Sure, it'll make McGregor more coin but as a fight it's not going to be any day at the beach, is it? They've already had two wars, one in which McGregor got strangled. Diaz is always going to be a tough fight for McGregor. Winnable, yeah. Financially rewarding, absolutely. But a hard as fuck fight all the same. 

When you look at the 155 division, there really are no easy fights. Ferguson, Diaz and Khabib are all equipped to give McGregor nightmares on their good days. Then just behind them there's Justin Gaethje, Edson Barboza and I still think a rematch with Eddie Alvarez could go differently. It's said a lot but lightweight is a shark tank. 

Whilst Diaz isn't an "easy" fight, he's easy enough to gameplan for and beat, just like his brother. Move in & out, don't engage with them, outstrike and outpoint them. At which point they'll moan like fuck and complain that you didn't actually "fight" them, before calling you a bitch, pussy and other stupid names.

Fighters who lose to either of them tend to get caught up in a firefight with them, which is usually their undoing. Conor did that the first time around, before succumbing to a submission. He played it smarter 2nd time around, and I have no doubt he'd win via decision if they fought again unless he did something stupid.

The actual top of the division (because, let's face it, Diaz has done fuck all to warrant being top ten in the 155lbs division of late) is tough as nails, and I'd love nothing better than to see McGregor take on some of those guys you mention in some right fights for the ages. I don't think McGregor beats them all, but I don't think he loses them all either, it would be a case of trading wins back and forth, with trilogy fights here & there.

Could actually cement his place as real MMA legend if he went down that road, a bit like the classic boxing days of Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran. Those dudes all traded wins and losses and came out the other side looking great.

I doubt he does that though, I think he'll pick and choose his fights carefully, which means he'll likely go down as someone who made a lot of fucking money, but who left a lot of questions unanswered.

[FUM]

I don't think a guy who ended a 10 year unbeaten streak, was the first double champion in history, and took the best boxer in history 10 rounds with no prior experience has any questions to answer to anyone regardless who he does or doesn't fight now.

[ColinBollocks]

5 hours ago, David said:

I think that Ferguson is like an intelligent, more all-rounded Nate, and for that reason he gives McGregor problems. Conor has yet to really prove that he can handle the pace at 155lbs in my opinion. One fight against someone who's the same size as he is in Alvarez doesn't quite answer the questions for me, and I'm not entirely convinced by him at 155lbs yet.

Ferguson isn't far off 6ft tall, and he has 2.5 inches of reach on Conor. He's the bigger man, and he's also got cardio to burn, a solid chin, and is great on the ground.

If I was Conor I'd be doing all I can to put that fight off as long as possible, and I think that's what he'll be pushing for. Easier to fight a Diaz than ol' Tony.

Ferguson was on the MMA Hour last night and said if he's fighting McGregor he's going to change up his style to not get hit so much, which is his biggest weakness if he's fighting McGregor.

Like David points out, it's the intelligent move. Be interesting to see how he goes about that with success. It's, of course, easier said against a Ninja like McGregor, but at least he's not a tit looking to prove how hard he is by not making the changes.

[wandshogun09]

He says that, and I'm sure it's his full intention, but I think you just can't take the pitbull mentality out of a guy like Ferguson. He's the type of fighter who will be fighting intelligently one minute then he'll get cracked and that all goes out the window and the savage comes out. It's that wounded animal thing. He goes from Pernell Whittaker to Arturo Gatti in a flash once he's been hurt. I think it's the Mexican in him. It's what makes him so exciting but it also makes him vulnerable and that in turn makes a fight with McGregor must-see. 

Saw this on twitter earlier, and it kind of sums up how I'm feeling on this whole Conor/Tony/Nate thing;

[OzExile]

McGregor has openly admitted that guys with range and height advantages pose him problems - but if you're the same size or smaller as Conor - 'they're not on my level'.  But in terms of ducking and avoiding, sorry everyone can get to fuck if they honestly believe that.  Been listening to too many broke also-rans ranting on the MMA Hour if you believe that.  Is McGregor scared of Ferguson, or Khabib? Is he fuck.  

Also I'm sorry wand, as love reading all your contributions, do you honestly believe Alvarez could pose McGregor any problems?  In terms of his UFC career - I'd put that rematch in this list of ones I'd want to see involving Conor on a par with Marcus Brimmage and Dennis Siver. 

[wandshogun09]

21 hours ago, OzExile said:

Also I'm sorry wand, as love reading all your contributions, do you honestly believe Alvarez could pose McGregor any problems?  In terms of his UFC career - I'd put that rematch in this list of ones I'd want to see involving Conor on a par with Marcus Brimmage and Dennis Siver. 

When I say I could see a rematch going differently I'm not saying Alvarez would beat him. I could've worded that better. But to act like there's no way he'd pose any problems is a bit much IMO. Granted, he didn't the first time but that doesn't mean it'd go exactly the same way every time. If that was the case you'd never have given Chuck Liddell a hope of KOing Randy Couture twice after seeing the one sided beatdown Randy dished out in their first fight. 

It's not like there's no path to beat McGregor. McGregor hurt him early doors and was excellent at never letting him recover. But if he didn't catch him early like that, and Alvarez was able to grind it out into the later rounds I still think it becomes a very interesting fight. There's a reason so many saw that as a 50/50 fight going in. Alvarez is a really fucking good fighter. I'd absolutely still pick Conor to win a rematch. But I wouldn't just assume it'd play out like last time. Alvarez has the tools to give McGregor grief. McGregor just did a fine job of blitzing him early. 

It's all moot anyway because I don't think the rematch will ever happen. McGregor's got way too much other shit to be getting on with. 

[Egg Shen]

of all the McGregor fights i want to see again, other than Holloway, i put Alvarez at the top of the list. In the same way i want to Mighty Mouse fight Henry Cejudo again.

Like Wand. said, McGregor caught Alvarez cold and put him away, it was hugely impressive, especially when you look at Alvarez' resume and see what he's usually capable of it but that makes me want to see what would happen if McGregor hadn't stopped him so early.

Anderson Silva/Vitor Belfort was another i always wanted to see again despite the conclusive finish in their fight (wouldnt wanna see it now though).

[David]

6 hours ago, Egg Shen said:

of all the McGregor fights i want to see again, other than Holloway, i put Alvarez at the top of the list.

Seriously? I wouldn't mind seeing another bout between Aldo and McGregor before I saw Alvarez/McGregor again. 

[ColinBollocks]

Sadly, the first bout was such a one-sided doing that I'm not sure it's happening anytime soon.

 

 

[David]

24 minutes ago, ColinBollocks said:

Sadly, the first bout was such a one-sided doing that I'm not sure it's happening anytime soon.

The Aldo fight? I'm not sure a "doing" is how I'd describe it. He basically caught him cold with the first punch, if anything it could be described as a freak finish.

A "doing" is what he gave to Alvarez, putting him down, outstriking him, making him look a bit daft. Totally different in my opinion.

That kind of finish happens maybe once every 50 fights or suchlike, especially between two guys of that level. A rematch finishing in a similar manner would be incredibly fucking unlikely.