UFC 189 (July 11): Aldo/Conor + Lawler/Rory!

[REDDzone]

Meltzer of GTFO!

[REDDzone]

Purely for discussion...since Conor has talked openly about having to move up in weight someday (he is crazy huge at 145...said he may end up fighting at 170 once all is said and done)

How would he have done tonight against the likes of Barboza and Felder? Not trying to be a hater, but again, those are dudes who are in the bottom half of the top 10 at LW (again not a hater, I think it speaks more to the shark tank at LW, than being an indictment against those guys). Its crazy how Michael Johnson is under 30, only has wrestling as a background, and outstruck Barboza for 3 rounds to win a clear unanimous decision.

[Cammo101]

Purely for discussion...since Conor has talked openly about having to move up in weight someday (he is crazy huge at 145...said he may end up fighting at 170 once all is said and done)

How would he have done tonight against the likes of Barboza and Felder? Not trying to be a hater, but again, those are dudes who are in the bottom half of the top 10 at LW (again not a hater, I think it speaks more to the shark tank at LW, than being an indictment against those guys). Its crazy how Michael Johnson is under 30, only has wrestling as a background, and outstruck Barboza for 3 rounds to win a clear unanimous decision.

It is so hard to say, especially with Barboza. That guy looks like a no brainer future champion in 90% of his fights, but he just can't seem to figure out the other 10%.

[REDDzone]

It is so hard to say, especially with Barboza. That guy looks like a no brainer future champion in 90% of his fights, but he just can't seem to figure out the other 10%.

Barboza is too one-dimensional to be a champion imo. Felder played right into his hand, IDK if its an ego thing or what. But the vast majority of ufc fighters will lose to Edson if they have a K-1 match with him. Unfortunately for him he doesn't seem very adept on the ground. Fortunately for him tonight, he didn't have to defend even one takedown.

[REDDzone]

It is so hard to say, especially with Barboza. That guy looks like a no brainer future champion in 90% of his fights, but he just can't seem to figure out the other 10%.

Be 100% honest with me, no ufc hype, your own personal pick...if Conor McGregor vs Paul Felder was announced tomorrow, who do you pick?

This question goes for everyone.

[Cammo101]

It is so hard to say, especially with Barboza. That guy looks like a no brainer future champion in 90% of his fights, but he just can't seem to figure out the other 10%.

Be 100% honest with me, no ufc hype, your own personal pick...if Conor McGregor vs Paul Felder was announced tomorrow, who do you pick?

This question goes for everyone.

I'd take McGregor.

I'd probably take Barboza over McGregor though.

[lilfishi22]

It is so hard to say, especially with Barboza. That guy looks like a no brainer future champion in 90% of his fights, but he just can't seem to figure out the other 10%.

Be 100% honest with me, no ufc hype, your own personal pick...if Conor McGregor vs Paul Felder was announced tomorrow, who do you pick?

This question goes for everyone.

I'd take McG. He would be as fast if not faster than Barboza and I think the power in his hands will move up in weight with him.

[cowboyronnie]

I think Conor beats most hands-held-high fighters. Like Edson. Cos they have to make contact with that first punch to keep their opponent from moving into range. But they won't against Conor. They'll miss, he will have precise punches that pierce any gap they show. They rely on tightness of technique, Conor has an intuitive mastery of range / angles.

Against Felder, Irish-American vs Irish! That might be different. That guy is huge too.

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Against Felder, Irish-American vs Irish! That might be different. That guy is huge too.

I think that is what spurred me to bring up this discussion. I was just looking at the size of both of those guys yesterday and thinking about them in relation to Mendes/Brandao/Holloway, etc. It doesn't seem like its even close.

[REDDzone]

I guess another aspect of this is the reach. Chad tagged Conor with several big shots. Idk their exact reaches but I'm guess Barboza has a good 10 inches of reach on Chad.

[cowboyronnie]

Chad moves around punches really, really well. That's how he caught Conor. Edson don't. He turns his shoulders square and works machine MT.

[kdawg32086]

Better hypothetical matchup for Conor. If he moves up to 170, how would he fare against the younger WW's who could still be around by then like Wonderboy or Rory?

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Better hypothetical matchup for Conor. If he moves up to 170, how would he fare against the younger WW's who could still be around by then like Wonderboy or Rory?

Beats Wonderboy because he gets hit but the Rory fight shouldn't even be sanctioned. I'm being facetious but Rory would dwarf Conor, I really don't think that would be competitive.

[REDDzone]

Chad moves around punches really, really well. That's how he caught Conor. Edson don't. He turns his shoulders square and works machine MT.

What about the rest of the lw division? (no idea why Bobby Green is on this list)

Champion : Rafael dos Anjos
1 Anthony Pettis
2 Donald Cerrone
3 Khabib Nurmagomedov
4 Eddie Alvarez
5 Michael Johnson
6 Benson Henderson
7 Edson Barboza
8 Myles Jury
9 Tony Ferguson
10 Bobby Green

[kdawg32086]

Chad moves around punches really, really well. That's how he caught Conor. Edson don't. He turns his shoulders square and works machine MT.

What about the rest of the lw division? (no idea why Bobby Green is on this list)

Champion : Rafael dos Anjos
1 Anthony Pettis
2 Donald Cerrone
3 Khabib Nurmagomedov
4 Eddie Alvarez
5 Michael Johnson
6 Benson Henderson
7 Edson Barboza
8 Myles Jury
9 Tony Ferguson
10 Bobby Green

If we got Conor vs. pre-injury Khabib, I don't think it ends well for Conor.

[CPT]

I take most of the LW top 10 to beat Conor. I don't know if that's any sort of indictment though. Would be interesting to try this exercise with other champs vs. the top 10 in the next weight class up. Maybe in another thread.

I'd give him a decent chance or pick him outright against Green, Jury, Barboza, Johnson, and Alvarez though.

[REDDzone]

I take most of the LW top 10 to beat Conor. I don't know if that's any sort of indictment though. Would be interesting to try this exercise with other champs vs. the top 10 in the next weight class up. Maybe in another thread.

I'd give him a decent chance or pick him outright against Green, Jury, Barboza, Johnson, and Alvarez though.

Yea my initial post was to show how sick lightweight is in general. Always the best weight class imo. Also, that is a good thread idea! I picked Conor for the example because he has pretty much said he's 100% moving up at one point, even mentioning eventually moving to ww (he really is a huge 145er).