UFC 223: Ferguson vs. Khabib (April 07, 2018)

[firekillex]

michael chiesa has a ton of fckin choke submissions looking back jeeze
hoping pettis beats him though... seen some video of pettis training and he looks really good right now
but well see if he can stop the clinch and takedowns against the cage

[Shagdogy]

michael chiesa has a ton of fckin choke submissions looking back jeeze
hoping pettis beats him though... seen some video of pettis training and he looks really good right now
but well see if he can stop the clinch and takedowns against the cage

Pettis looks much better when he has a length and strength advantage. He will have neither vs Chiesa (though I admit Chiesa doesn’t fight very long). Pettis also looks best when opponents allow him to dictate range. Chiesa will pressure him. Pettis doesn’t have the one punch fight changing power IMO, so he’s going to need 3 rounds of solid footwork or will need to win clinch/ground battles. I think Chiesa gets him on the mat and wins decision or sub. I like him -135.

[PaperTrail07]

Wow you see CM LOL....guy is 100% bitch made LOL....his crew is LAUGHABLE LOL......bunch of kids......really hope he take a fight with Khabib lol...

[Shagdogy]

Wow you see CM LOL....guy is 100% bitch made LOL....his crew is LAUGHABLE LOL......bunch of kids......really hope he take a fight with Khabib lol...

At this point I hope he never fights in UFC again and goes off the deep end and loses to shitty fighters in bellator until he disappears. Bye.

[PaperTrail07]

Yup....still surprised people even bought the hype.....fight dodging all talking nonsense...

At this point I hope he never fights in UFC again and goes off the deep end and loses to shitty fighters in bellator until he disappears. Bye.

[Ted Sheckler]

At first I liked the crazy shit. Now it's just pathetic. I don't think his antics are gaining him fans. But people will still tune in because they want to see him get his ass whooped. So he'll draw and keep getting paid.

But hopefully he fights and gets taught a lesson.
or
goes off the deep end and gets in a bar fight with irish mob and ends up in the sewers.

Either one is good with me.

[Shagdogy]

Back to capping... Mago vs. Bochniak isn't getting much attention here because obviously the line is insane and Mago is going to crush Bochniak. Don't throw your money away on the dog. BUT... can Bochniak survive over the 1.5? I think it's likely and at -160 it's pretty tempting. Bochniak barely fought in his last fight, and may try to employ something similar here vs. Mago. Mago is also decently patient in the striking and doesn't push an insane pace. Even more, he's an excellent grappler, but he definitely conserves energy in the clinch and allows opponents to tire and overcommit while he relaxes and waits for his chances. If Bochniak prioritizes a safe gameplan like he did against Davis (and he was rewarded for it with the win so he may try to repeat it) then I think there's a solid chance this goes over 1.5. Any thoughts?

[Shagdogy]

Pettis looks much better when he has a length and strength advantage. He will have neither vs Chiesa (though I admit Chiesa doesn’t fight very long). Pettis also looks best when opponents allow him to dictate range. Chiesa will pressure him. Pettis doesn’t have the one punch fight changing power IMO, so he’s going to need 3 rounds of solid footwork or will need to win clinch/ground battles. I think Chiesa gets him on the mat and wins decision or sub. I like him -135.

Forgot to mention: Pettis has had his back taken in 3 of his last 4 fights (Oliveira, Miller, Poirier). While he has managed to win two of those and has never been subbed, this is a bad trend, especially when facing Chiesa who thrives on back takes and has an extremely dangerous RNC finish.

I hope Chiesa is able to take this fight... freakin' Conor. What an ass.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Wow you see CM LOL....guy is 100% bitch made LOL....his crew is LAUGHABLE LOL......bunch of kids......really hope he take a fight with Khabib lol...

complete moron...Chiesa got injured and cut up from the shattered window...he is going to be arrested and sued.

I don't think he is going to get a slap on the wrist for this one.

[spurginobili]

What the fukk is going on with Connor McGregor? Are y'all following this?

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2018/4/5/17203626/ufc-223-report-warrant-issued-conor-mcgregor-new-york-bus-attack-mma-news

[Shagdogy]

^ New angle shows Conor throwing the heavy end of a hand truck through the window that breaks and ends up cutting Chiesa. Feel bad for Chiesa. Sitting there just minding his own and now might be out of his fight.

I don't know about you all but I would really like the UFC to start acting legitimate and do everything in its power to cut this WWE crap out. Unfortunately this is the new path of the company... mixing the sport with this BS "entertainment."

[firekillex]

my fav fighter ... but today he took it over the top, i know hes angry about being stripped again but he did this to himself , at first mcgregor was really a TRUE fighter and would honestly fight anybody, anytime regardless what people say... but at this point he is really only about the money and making headlines... it sucks because he truly couldve been a generational fighter regardless of what the haters say he is one of the best strikers the lighter weight classes have ever seen.... i hope he turns this around and becomes more mature , the bottle throwing with diaz was funny but this was just uncalled for and very stupid... he is rich so obviously hell get away with this ... maybe some community service and a slap on the wrist... but he seriously needs to stop thinking this is the WWE and take this shit serious, hes in his athletic prime and has easy 3-5 good fights left in him .... hoping chiesa is alright and can still fight this weekend and he stops with the BS and comes to fight this summer .... the press conference stuff is hilarious and the talking , but when you injure random people for no reason you have to say this is enough

[Thor4140]

^ New angle shows Conor throwing the heavy end of a hand truck through the window that breaks and ends up cutting Chiesa. Feel bad for Chiesa. Sitting there just minding his own and now might be out of his fight.

I don't know about you all but I would really like the UFC to start acting legitimate and do everything in its power to cut this WWE crap out. Unfortunately this is the new path of the company... mixing the sport with this BS "entertainment."

This has nothing to do with wwe crap for goodness sakes. This is all about his friend getting scolded by Khabib. Conor is a complete idiot and stuck up for his friend like he is in a gang. Holy fuk what a mess. To say it is WWE stuff is silly. WWE stuff is choreographed this is real shit by a loose cannon

[Thor4140]

Good thing those fighters didnt jump out of the bus. The whole card could have imploded and Connor would prolly get sued for more than he ever made. I could just imagine the mood in that bus with all of them weight cutting. Somebody should get a big raise to keep those fighters on that bus.

[JIBBBY]

What the fukk is going on with Connor McGregor? Are y'all following this?

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2018/4/5/17203626/ufc-223-report-warrant-issued-conor-mcgregor-new-york-bus-attack-mma-news

These fighters are all agro and start shiiit outside the cage to often.. It's gonna bite them in the ass one day.. Someone in the posse's might bring a gun... They all troll around with their posse groups like a street gang as well.. I don't like any of it.. Has no place in a professional sport..

Save the fighting and words for inside the Octagon I say.. Hope they all get arrested.. Maybe teach them a lesson.. McGregor is a wild man and thug we saw that in previous press conferences.. He pops off every chance he gets... Loud mouth...

[UncleChael]

Khabib and his team wanna team up on Artem but hide once a coked up McGregor arrives.

[Shagdogy]

This has nothing to do with wwe crap for goodness sakes. This is all about his friend getting scolded by Khabib. Conor is a complete idiot and stuck up for his friend like he is in a gang. Holy fuk what a mess. To say it is WWE stuff is silly. WWE stuff is choreographed this is real shit by a loose cannon

Not that this was choreographed, but I just mean WWE in the sense that the UFC has been okay with extra stupid drama lately, even endorsing some of it. Not this, but by not trying to be legit and putting the hammer down on other stupid antics, they've asked for it in a sense.

[TPowell]

Sorry guys have been busy with other stuff as of late. Haven't done any tape study for this event but have looked at lines and had some thoughts. Plan on doing some tape study tonight if possible. Not sure where to start though

Iaquinta ML/by decision
Pettis ML/by decision
Moicano by decision
Evans Smith ML in a parlay (-200 depending on the weight cut)

[firekillex]

i wonder if mcgregor is legitmately on cocaine
i really hope he doesnt go down a dark path like jones... mcgregor is actually a genuine nice guy and this is an act... but this right now isnt the real mcgregor... hope he gets better this shitt isnt acceptable

regardless glad chiesa plans to fight still and everything for this weekend is good to go .. gonna be a great card

[TPowell]

Forgot to add Devin Clark as well. Love fading guys coming off flying knee/flashy knockouts that haven't shown any real talent against decent competition and Rodriguez definitely fits the bill. I'm not 100% sold on Clark being able to avoid a big shot but I think he'll respect Clark's grappling like he did the guy from the Contender Series. I also love Clark's cardio at 205. He's a very small LHW but he makes up for it with that cardio and a decent wrestling game. I think he may be able to wear Rodriguez down early and zap him of some of that power. My thoughts are playing the -110 ML and the +350 by decision but the OVER 1.5 does look good as well.

[WolfTicketDealer]

This has to be the weirdest fight week in quite some time.

Also, the driver of that bus deserves a Performance of the Night Bonus.

[Shagdogy]

Forgot to add Devin Clark as well. Love fading guys coming off flying knee/flashy knockouts that haven't shown any real talent against decent competition and Rodriguez definitely fits the bill. I'm not 100% sold on Clark being able to avoid a big shot but I think he'll respect Clark's grappling like he did the guy from the Contender Series. I also love Clark's cardio at 205. He's a very small LHW but he makes up for it with that cardio and a decent wrestling game. I think he may be able to wear Rodriguez down early and zap him of some of that power. My thoughts are playing the -110 ML and the +350 by decision but the OVER 1.5 does look good as well.

For some reason I'm having a hard time nailing down the side in this fight, though I do think Clark is the way to go most likely. I like the over 1.5 a lot. I don't think Rodriguez has a ton of finishing power in his hands unless it's in GnP. I also think Clark has shown a solid chin at 205. If he's tentative due to MRod's length, then I think we see a pretty patient opening few minutes to the fight where Clark is very careful to be all the way out or all the way in, which only gives MRod the KO shot for a split second on the entrance. Definitely playing the over. Probably playing Clark as well.

I agree with you on Iaquinta ml as well. Disagree with Pettis. No plays yet on the other two.

[Shagdogy]

^ Also, I know tape of Rodriguez is limited, but while everyone is focusing on his less than stellar TDD, I also think it should be noted that Clark appears to have a massive speed advantage. I love to play long fighters when they have speed to complement their length, but I don't see that with Rodriguez. Not only does he not seem to have the speed advantage over Clark, he doesn't seem to have good speed at all IMO.

[Ralphie Halves]

There needs to be a prop on what Iaquinta is going to bitch about after the fight.

[TPowell]

Anybody have tape on Rodriguez minus the Contender Series fight? Think I'm passing with how wild Clark can get on the feet lunging in but at -110 I do think he's the better fighter

[rsynweap84]

Hope Conor dies, sue him for every cent, toss his family on the bread line, and let him OD on some cheap laced coke.

[TPowell]

^ Also, I know tape of Rodriguez is limited, but while everyone is focusing on his less than stellar TDD, I also think it should be noted that Clark appears to have a massive speed advantage. I love to play long fighters when they have speed to complement their length, but I don't see that with Rodriguez. Not only does he not seem to have the speed advantage over Clark, he doesn't seem to have good speed at all IMO.

Clark is very quick at 205 for sure and I know Jan pieced him up in that fight but for gods sake, Jan is top 10 guy in this division potentially. I don't see how anyone can say that Rodriguez is UFC level based off of what I see on paper. Clark has beat a couple of bums in Collier and Stansbury (a real bum) but once again Collier and Jan are MUCH better technical strikers than this kid is.

[TPowell]

Even against Alex Nicholson who had a 6 inch reach edge, Clark more than competed on the feet until the weird flash KO. I don't think the reach will be AS big of a factor unless Clark just gets desperate and lunges in sloppily AND gets timed. Clark is a good athlete though and I think he can avoid this bigger and slower guy

[firekillex]

Hope Conor dies, sue him for every cent, toss his family on the bread line, and let him OD on some cheap laced coke.

lol relax bro

[TPowell]

I'd feel better about a Clark play if I could scrounge up a couple more recent fights because if he is a decent striker and isn't a big lumbering brute, he has a decent shot here to get the KO potentially

[Shagdogy]

I'd feel better about a Clark play if I could scrounge up a couple more recent fights because if he is a decent striker and isn't a big lumbering brute, he has a decent shot here to get the KO potentially

Here’s Rodriguez vs Hooben:

https://youtu.be/FJkAHxwS8-M

[Hugo de Naranja]

michael chiesa has a ton of fckin choke submissions looking back jeeze
hoping pettis beats him though... seen some video of pettis training and he looks really good right now
but well see if he can stop the clinch and takedowns against the cage

I've heard that one before

[Hugo de Naranja]

Forgot to mention: Pettis has had his back taken in 3 of his last 4 fights (Oliveira, Miller, Poirier). While he has managed to win two of those and has never been subbed, this is a bad trend, especially when facing Chiesa who thrives on back takes and has an extremely dangerous RNC finish.

I hope Chiesa is able to take this fight... freakin' Conor. What an ass.

I'm picking Chiesa by R2 Sub (RNC) BUT Pettis did do a damn good job of escaping Back Mount in those fights, especially against Charles Oliveira.

[JIBBBY]

i wonder if mcgregor is legitmately on cocaine
i really hope he doesnt go down a dark path like jones... mcgregor is actually a genuine nice guy and this is an act... but this right now isnt the real mcgregor... hope he gets better this shitt isnt acceptable

regardless glad chiesa plans to fight still and everything for this weekend is good to go .. gonna be a great card

It worked wonders for Jon Jones and he is still considered pound for pound the best.. Wouldn't surprise me at all if McGregor was hooked on crack too.. .. Seems like he parties like a rock star anyways..

Lamar Odom won an NBA championship smoking crack.. It enhances and jacks you up, makes you fearless, can work out longer... Taxes your heart, brain and soul though....

My take anyways from what I've read, known and seen.. I knew a professional boxer that smoked crack and he was literally shadow boxing all night long on the stuff. His diet was shiiit to but stacked.. No lie.. Most fit guy you will ever see and it was because of Crack Cocaine. Went clean because he was losing his mind and got fat shortly after... Boxing career over just like that.. Might be more effective then steroids.. It's VERY dangerous for pro athletes to try it for the first time because they haven't built up a resistance to it also.. My take anyways..

It's a hella of drug though... They do test for it but that's one drug that leaves the system quickly.. After 2 to 3 weeks it's completely not detectable in the body.. https://americanaddictioncenters.org...ong-in-system/

[Shagdogy]

I'm picking Chiesa by R2 Sub (RNC) BUT Pettis did do a damn good job of escaping Back Mount in those fights, especially against Charles Oliveira.

Yeah he’s composed defending the sub and he’s real good at turning in and gaining top position. Chiesa is very long so there could be a lot of space between his limbs for Pettis to maneuver like this.

I honestly think for Pettis to win he will have to get a considerable amount of top position time. I just don’t see how he consistently keeps the fight on the feet. He doesn’t have the power to keep Chiesa at bay, and he doesn’t have the strength to defend the double or bodylock if Chiesa latches on. He is deceptively strong with his squeeze and has excellent balance and core strength in tight.