UFC 252: Miocic vs Cormier 3 - Aug 15 🇺🇸

[Egg Shen]

cant wait for Suga/Vera, gonna be a good one.

[Egg Shen]

[wandshogun09]

Countdown, Embedded, Weigh Ins watched. I actually did get around to watching Stipe vs DC 1 and 2 back as well last night. Can’t bastard wait for this now. It’s kind of sad that this fight probably spells the end of what’s actually been a very strong decade or so at Heavyweight. We need to appreciate and enjoy this one. Because we won’t be getting many Heavyweight fights of this calibre going forward sadly. 

Stipe Miocic vs Daniel Cormier 3 - We’ve gone into this at length. I still think Stipe wins. It’s funny though, watching the first two fights again, it’s easy to forget how good Cormier looked for the majority of the time they’ve shared the cage together. I think that’s mostly been lost because the ending to the second fight and the imagine of a bollocksed DC slumped against the fence is still so vivid in everyone’s memory. Not much to say about the first fight. It was over early and there wasn’t that much to read into it. DC really did start strong in that second fight though. Was landing a ton of punches early on, had the wrestling going etc. But even by the second round, which I had DC winning, there were signs of him breathing heavily and slowing down slightly. And that got worse with each passing round. The third felt like a real turning point. Cormier looked tired and started to really struggle getting the takedown, and Stipe began to land more with his punches. Stipe even took him down briefly. It was still a close competitive round but you could sense the tide turning. Then you know the score with the 4th.

Very interested to see how this plays out. I know the people picking Cormier are going ‘yeah but he’ll wrestle this time’. He wrestled last time and he couldn’t keep it up after a round or so. He had real issues controlling Stipe and I’m sure that played its part in sapping his cardio which is probably a big reason why the body shots fucked him up so rapidly later on. He was already flagging when Stipe started digging those left hooks into the old bread basket. I also hear about DC’s back problems and all that. I’m sure he wasn’t at his best that night but I don’t think Stipe was either. He started mega slow which is unlike Stipe. Part of that was down to Cormier, granted, but Stipe just never seemed to get into it until halfway through the second round. I think they’ll both be coming in better for this one. In a fucked up way this COVID situation has probably done them both good in terms of delaying this rubber match and allowing DC to rest his old body and also give Stipe time to take a break, spend time with his family and come back refreshed. Stipe looked in probably the best shape I’ve ever seen him in at the weigh in yesterday. He’s always in good nick but he looks like he’s in the best condition of his career for this. It could end early either way but if we get a longer battle, I really think this could be the best fight of their trilogy. And that’s saying something because the second fight was fantastic. 

In the end though, Miocic by KO/TKO. For all the reasons I’ve said earlier in the thread. If Cormier is going to win, I think it needs to be in the first couple of rounds. Three tops. Either landing a KO punch on the feet or getting him down early and doing some real damage and forcing a stoppage or at least hurting Stipe to the point it effects him for the rest of the fight. If not, I just struggle to see him holding up over 5 rounds if his plan his to wrestle a lot. I think trying to maintain that kind of physical dominance over a naturally bigger man who also knows how to wrestle is just going to take too much energy in a long fight. I’ve seen some Stipe fans acting like all he needs to do is throw a few body punches and DC’s done. I don’t see it being that simple at all. Stipe going to the body was perfect last time but watching it back he really was just spamming that same left to the body over and over. If he tries it that blatantly this time, DC’s going to be expecting it and Stipe was wide open for a big right hand counter. But I think Stipe will be smarter than that. It’ll be interesting to see if he tries to get the body attacks started earlier this time. Anyway, yeah, Stipe by stoppage. It’s a shame really that a trilogy decider like this, especially if it’s DC’s farewell, is happening with no crowd but what can you do?

Sean O’Malley vs Marlon Vera - This has show stealer written all over it, doesn’t it? You really can’t go wrong with this. And now the card has lost Ankalaev vs Cutelaba 2, Munhoz vs Edgar and Manel Kape’s debut, the chances of these two bagging FOTN shot up even more. Still can’t help thinking they’re going to rush O’Malley and him being put in the co-main event here adds to that. But he’s exciting no getting away from it. And he seems to be catching on quite quickly with fans so it’s to be expected. 

I’m going with O’Malley on points. I know everyone’s on his dick now. Especially after that Wineland KO. He does look good and that was a seriously impressive finish. But I’m not ready to declare him quite the monster everybody else seems to be just yet. I like him and I think he has a ton of potential but there’s still a way to go and a bunch of different styles we haven’t seen him against yet. On top of that, Vera is granite tough. He’s had a few losses but he’s never been finished and he’s dangerous himself. He should be able to give O’Malley a good scrap. That’s what I want to see. The two main questions for now on Suga Sean are 1) what’s his wrestling like? And 2) how will he handle adversity? We probably won’t get much of an answer on the first question in this one but I’d like to see Vera drag him into a bit of an ugly war and see how O’Malley responds when things aren’t all going smooth and pretty. If he stops Vera here it’ll be quite a statement. I’m going to say points though.

Junior Dos Santos vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik - This is almost definitely ending with a bang one way or another. Like I said before, I like both of these two so the result is going to be bittersweet for me either way. As a matchup though I love it. For all my doom and gloom on the future of the Heavyweight division, this card is giving us two legitimate HW bangers. It’s a shame one has to lose but it should be explosive however long it lasts. 

Rozenstruik by KO/TKO for me. Again, that would suck to see JDS get knocked out again. Especially as he’s already coming off those back-to-back stoppage losses to Ngannou and Blaydes. But I’ve just got a bad feeling he’s getting laid out here. Goes without saying though, you never know what mayhem is about to go down at Heavyweight. JDS is always dangerous and Jair is coming off getting smashed in 20 seconds by Ngannou. Big Junior might be catching him at a good time. I’m thinking Rozenstruik lands first though. 

Herbert Burns vs Daniel Pineda - Can’t remember enough about Pineda to really analyse this one. Looking forward to it just to see Burns again though. He’s been great to watch so far since he signed with the UFC. 

Burns by submission. Like I said, my memory is fuzzy on Pineda so maybe I’m overlooking him. All I know is he’s lost 13 times and been submitted a few times by much lesser grapplers than Burns. Only thing that’s giving me doubt really is that Burns missed weight by 3.5lbs. That could work for or against him. People automatically assume ‘he’s missed weight, so he’s got an unfair weight advantage’. I get that. But you could also miss weight because you’re carrying an injury. I’m sure Burns isn’t making massive money as it is, I doubt he’s deliberately coming in heavy and giving up 30% of his purse or whatever just to get an edge of a couple of lbs. Fuck knows. I think Burns has serious potential though. Hopefully this weight thing was a one off, he wins and cracks on from there.

John Dodson vs Merab Dvalishvili - The fight I’m least arsed about on the main card by far. It’s not terrible, just can’t get into Dodson at all. From his fighting style to his annoying as fuck personality. He just irritates me no end. I’ll always give him his due though, he’s not easy to beat and he’s even harder to look good against. So Merab’s got his work cut out here. 

Dodson by decision. Don’t know why but that’s what I’m feeling. Dvalishvili is decent and he’s on a nice little win streak. But I’m not blown away by him and I think even now with Dodson being older and a few years past his best, it’s still going to take someone a bit special to beat him. Dodson showed by stopping Nathaniel Wood last time out that he’s still not to be slept on. I just don’t see it with Dvalishvili. 

Full predictions then;

Stipe Miocic by KO/TKO.

Sean O’Malley by Decision.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik by KO/TKO.

Herbert Burns by Submission.

John Dodson by Decision.

Jim Miller by Submission.

Virna Jandiroba by Decision.

TJ Brown by KO/TKO.

Livia Renata Souza by Decision.

Chris Daukaus by KO/TKO.

Kai Kamaka by Decision. 

Let’s fucking go. 

[Egg Shen]

Im leaning towards JDS against Rozenstruick. I listened to a few previews and they all leaned toward JDS and reminded me that outside of walloping Arlovski early and pulling out of the bag against Overeem, Rozenstruick hasnt looked great in the UFC. Plus hes coming off getting flatlined. I feel JDS out-MMA's him. Juniors on my betslip.

[wandshogun09]

You have to think Junior could make it pretty straight forward if he goes with a mix of takedowns and striking. Sort of like he did in the Mark Hunt and Shane Carwin fights. I don’t know though. Those fights were nearly a decade ago now and he really hasn’t bothered much with takedowns in recent years. If it’s a straight striking match it’s probably 50/50 but Jair still has more experience in striking and nowhere near the damage on him that JDS does. Could go either way on it really. My gut’s telling me Rozenstruik but you can’t be shocked either way where the Heavies are concerned. 

[Egg Shen]

Junior has has that habit of pulling it out the bag when i doubt him too and up until yesterday i was doubting him, so i switched picks😄

[jimufctna24]

I'm still amazed that a fighter as clever and skilled as Miocic didn't try and set up body shots on DC earlier in the second fight. Mir, Barnett and especially Jones all showed that DC was vulnerable to the body. DC was in his physical prime when he faced Barnett - so this weaknesses has always been there. 

Moreover, while age hasn't been kind to DC's body, he hasn't helped matters himself. Apparently, they train like maniacs at AKA, for which Cormier serves as the camp's wrestling coach. The injuries sustained by Cain and Khabib over the years have been attributed to the overly-excessive way in which AKA fighters are trained. 

All of this has left DC very vulnerable. He can't wrestle for prolonged periods because he gets tired too easy and winces/fades if his opponent so much as breathes on his belly, and while Miocic hasn't looked at his very best since the Ngannou fight, I don't think he's as past-it as  is. Thus, barring Cormier knocking out Miocic early on with strikes, I am picking Stipe to win by stoppage in the later rounds. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by jimufctna24

[Egg Shen]

48-47 Stipe for me, possibly 49-46 (i could barely split em in round 4). The 5th if it was the decider was super close but Stipe having the control against the cage won it for him. Disappointed at DC's lack of wrestling and that eye poke was nasty, hope there's no lasting damage there, guess that was a little karma dished out though in some fucked up way.

It wasn't a classic, but it was a gruelling battle for sure. 

The Suga Show is off for now too. Tough break, that's twice he's suffered bad leg injuries. Lots of complaints about the stoppage online, i had no issue with it.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Egg Shen

[kamicazze]

That's eye poke was nasty. I was actually worried for his eye thinking could be a bisping. that'll convince him to go through with the retirement. 

hard luck on the sugashow. Stoppage was questionable yet I think Herb Dean would have had the injury in mind knowing O Malleys likelihood of winning is low along with the saga with Dan Hardy in his head.

Dos Santos fight went as expected. Gave a great account of himself until the inevitable happened. 

[jimufctna24]

Cock-tease:

 

[Egg Shen]

knew that was coming

[ColinBollocks]

I'm still a little baffled DC thought he could once again win a stand up fight with Stipe. I thought at the very least we'd see a lot more grappling from him, or at least intentions to do so, but not so. That first fight and how it ended really had DC convinced he was the superior boxer. I'm sure the nonces on here that hate on DC will take great satisfaction in how that eye poke went down, after the first fight. Proper crap refereeing though.

The rest of the show was very forgettable. 

[jimufctna24]

28 minutes ago, ColinBollocks said:

I'm sure the nonces on here that hate on DC will take great satisfaction in how that eye poke went down, after the first fight.

Leave David alone

Although, over the three fights, I count three eyepokes made by DC and only one made by Miocic. DC actually eyepoked Miocic in the opening round of all three bouts. 

Of course, none of that excuses the referee not seeing Miocic's eyepoke last night. Had the referee seen it, the fight might have been ruled a no-contest. 

Edited August 16, 2020 by jimufctna24

[ColinBollocks]

The ref missed the eye poke in the first fight, so that makes them even (and DC can't really moan, considering). However, like the first fight, proper poor refereeing to miss it. DC had time to point it out to the ref but was told to get on with it.

Edited August 16, 2020 by ColinBollocks

[Marshmallo]

Cosplay Conor McGregor talking about being Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali pre-fight then getting flattened in a round by an unranked fighter. That's the most I've enjoyed anything in MMA this year by quite a distance. 

https://youtu.be/9cQlVww0zKo