Just watched UFC 148. Liked how Silva won, and TKO Chael for first time in UFC and actually first time in last 8 years.
However I really disliked how people and especially MMA media and analytics emphasized minor things in time leading up to this fight.
Silva didn't anything special, he fought the way he usually does. I wouldn't even say that he was that much into takedown defense training. He can finish people standing, in clinch or on the ground on top or even from bottom. Being tall and lanky, he knows that stockier wrestler will always have advantage in choosing position, so he is dangerous in where ever he end up.
Second, Chael has very good takedowns and wrestling, so almost always chooses where the fight goes. I am not delusional, Chael will get his takedown most of the time even against Silva. And this is part which I hate. People use such expressions as ''dangerous G'n'P, dominate, brutalize, whoop ***'' when talking about what Chael does after takedown. I can't agree. Only thing he constantly fight for is position, yes he ''dominates'' in positioning department. He does NOT hit to finish. Chael is a master of making impression that he is working hard, but most of the time he keeps chest and/or hips down on opponent and use only arm snap, no space and no rotation. His last TKO victory was against Amar Suloev (Uscola he actually submited) and check out the names and records of those he has managed to KO/TKO.
People were raving in first Silva fight about Chaels 300+ strikes. Well in Nate Marquardt fight he threw 200+ and didn't finish, in Bisping fight 130+ etc. He likes to stay in opponents guards make chaotic wrist/arm control, fight for posture up only to push back down and do little punches, but often not even advance position. Last time he TkO'de someone (Amar Suloev) he did it from top crucifix, before that Tim Credeur lost in disengaged position. Actually I don't remember last time he have TKO anyone from guard. So I'm sure that he knows what it takes for him to actually hurt opponent. But he chooses not to take a risk of creating space to strike hard or attempt submissions. Watch interviews with his old opponents many mention that his ground punches are weak.
I don't have any problem with wrestlers, but MMA is not wrestling match and a pin itself is not the way to win. It's horrible to watch his fights like with Jeremy Horn; he fights to maintain position, do not deliver punishment, but also stalls Jeremy from doing anything. In essence it's masked timidity which is a foul by rules. I don't like how Rogan said that fighters should learn how to sweep and get up and that stand up rule is wrong. Bas Rutten has stated that even when you roll your opponent should try to do something, otherwise you won't escape from position. Most combative sports have rules against inactivity because, it is very different when two fighters neutralize each other in attempt to finish or one fighter scoring, but avoiding finishing. When it happens in stand up like in Aoki vs Nagashima no one believes that Aoki is really trying to finish opponent with theatrical jumping kicks, but when it's the same situation on the ground all of the sudden it's called ''griding''
Real issue that I see is that good wrestlers that use wrestling to get where they want and then honestly try to finish now are tempted to copy Chael and other lay and pray fighter style. Refs won't stand you up, judges will score takedowns and weak punches and if you're rude enough, general public will believe that you are dangerous finisher. I hope that this ''cosmetic'' GnP will soon disappear.
What do you think?
BTW. There was a guy named Daiju Takase. Everyone ignores that this was only man that truly dominated and finished Silva. Although Silva today is different animal than in 2003, Takase still should get respect for trying hard to finish Silva.
However I really disliked how people and especially MMA media and analytics emphasized minor things in time leading up to this fight.
Silva didn't anything special, he fought the way he usually does. I wouldn't even say that he was that much into takedown defense training. He can finish people standing, in clinch or on the ground on top or even from bottom. Being tall and lanky, he knows that stockier wrestler will always have advantage in choosing position, so he is dangerous in where ever he end up.
Second, Chael has very good takedowns and wrestling, so almost always chooses where the fight goes. I am not delusional, Chael will get his takedown most of the time even against Silva. And this is part which I hate. People use such expressions as ''dangerous G'n'P, dominate, brutalize, whoop ***'' when talking about what Chael does after takedown. I can't agree. Only thing he constantly fight for is position, yes he ''dominates'' in positioning department. He does NOT hit to finish. Chael is a master of making impression that he is working hard, but most of the time he keeps chest and/or hips down on opponent and use only arm snap, no space and no rotation. His last TKO victory was against Amar Suloev (Uscola he actually submited) and check out the names and records of those he has managed to KO/TKO.
People were raving in first Silva fight about Chaels 300+ strikes. Well in Nate Marquardt fight he threw 200+ and didn't finish, in Bisping fight 130+ etc. He likes to stay in opponents guards make chaotic wrist/arm control, fight for posture up only to push back down and do little punches, but often not even advance position. Last time he TkO'de someone (Amar Suloev) he did it from top crucifix, before that Tim Credeur lost in disengaged position. Actually I don't remember last time he have TKO anyone from guard. So I'm sure that he knows what it takes for him to actually hurt opponent. But he chooses not to take a risk of creating space to strike hard or attempt submissions. Watch interviews with his old opponents many mention that his ground punches are weak.
I don't have any problem with wrestlers, but MMA is not wrestling match and a pin itself is not the way to win. It's horrible to watch his fights like with Jeremy Horn; he fights to maintain position, do not deliver punishment, but also stalls Jeremy from doing anything. In essence it's masked timidity which is a foul by rules. I don't like how Rogan said that fighters should learn how to sweep and get up and that stand up rule is wrong. Bas Rutten has stated that even when you roll your opponent should try to do something, otherwise you won't escape from position. Most combative sports have rules against inactivity because, it is very different when two fighters neutralize each other in attempt to finish or one fighter scoring, but avoiding finishing. When it happens in stand up like in Aoki vs Nagashima no one believes that Aoki is really trying to finish opponent with theatrical jumping kicks, but when it's the same situation on the ground all of the sudden it's called ''griding''
Real issue that I see is that good wrestlers that use wrestling to get where they want and then honestly try to finish now are tempted to copy Chael and other lay and pray fighter style. Refs won't stand you up, judges will score takedowns and weak punches and if you're rude enough, general public will believe that you are dangerous finisher. I hope that this ''cosmetic'' GnP will soon disappear.
What do you think?
BTW. There was a guy named Daiju Takase. Everyone ignores that this was only man that truly dominated and finished Silva. Although Silva today is different animal than in 2003, Takase still should get respect for trying hard to finish Silva.
