attonito vs branch

[rocky mattioli]

real tough fight to call...just watched attonito vs natal....and branch vs harris and branch vs drwal...


the attonito/natal fight was 1-1 going into the 3rd(natal was busy throughout but a big shot won attonito one of the rounds...he seriously hurt natal)...the fight swung on a natal slip after a kick in the last round...attonito jumped on the downed natal and basically controlled the round from the top with some g&p sprinkled in...that slip was a bit of good fortune for attonito...pretty much handed him the last round...

that slip settled the issue...it was close...attonito the bigger puncher...natal the better kicker and busier guy...

branch vs harris was fairly close...harris probably doing as little more until the slam...sherdog had it 2-0 harris at the time of the stoppage...

branch used takedowns and foot movement to beat drwal(who`s strong,but very slow afoot)....couldn`t do this with the wrestler harris..

most of branch`s shots for takedowns are half-hearted(he doesn`t commit) and were shrugged off by drwal after he got a feel for what branch was doing......he had to clinch,push drwal into the fence and take him down from there....he was pretty successful with takedowns off the clinch...the shots,not so much...

branch`s boxing looks pretty,but it isn`t very substantive...he poses an awful lot...does some fred sanford schtick....but really doesn`t let his hands go enough...he looks pretty...but doesn`t accomplish much...and has a tendency to turn his back when moving away when someone is throwing at him...

attonito is just the opposite...he`s not flashy...he`s actually pretty slow afoot... but punches with bad intentions...not really busy either...but he has serious power....

the problem i see for branch here is the fact that he`s not aggressive(see machida/jackson)...and i doubt that his weak takedown attempts will work vs a division 1 wrestler.... i don`t believe that branch has a wrestling background despite the jits blackbelt...if anything,he may end up on his back as he did vs harris...

can he dance around and basically outpoint attonito?....are the judges gonna buy that being that the trend in the ufc is shaded toward the more aggressive guy?...........

branch was booed after his win vs drwal...and we all know dana don`t play that ......and attonito tends to pick up steam as the fights progress...he`s better late than early...

anything to add anybody?...this one`s tough...

[Vaughany]

Branch's main strength is his BJJ so if Attonito does take him down he will be going in to a zone which Branch is more than comfortable with. Attonito as you say is aggressive and isnt the type to just lay n pray and will therefore present opportunities for Branch to sweep or set-up a triangle or something. Rich showed that he can be submitted when he lost by armbar to Isidro Gonzalez in the first round back in 2009 - Gonzalez has a 16-14 record and has lost by submission to Prangley and Nick Ring since he beat Attonito. This fight will be close no doubt but I just see Branch scraping a decision or late submission.

[rocky mattioli]

Branch's main strength is his BJJ so if Attonito does take him down he will be going in to a zone which Branch is more than comfortable with. Attonito as you say is aggressive and isnt the type to just lay n pray and will therefore present opportunities for Branch to sweep or set-up a triangle or something. Rich showed that he can be submitted when he lost by armbar to Isidro Gonzalez in the first round back in 2009 - Gonzalez has a 16-14 record and has lost by submission to Prangley and Nick Ring since he beat Attonito. This fight will be close no doubt but I just see Branch scraping a decision or late submission.

i haven`t seen branch`s jits translate into mma in the fights i watched....drwal was subbed twice in his 4 losses leading up to his branch fight...and branch had him on his back for long stretches... .branch was on top and on his back in both fights(drwal/harris..either/or) ..i don`t think i even saw a submission attempted(i admittedly missed about a half round of the harris fight)......his only submissions thus far are rear naked chokes vs lesser competition...

some black belts` jits just don`t translate into mma...

that said,the difference in quicks and athleticism is pretty substantial....i suspect that much of this takes place standing...if it does,i`m hoping that branch can do enough to nab the win with sporadic counter striking off the back foot... attonito combines drwal`s lack of quickness(good for branch) with harris` westling acumen(bad for branch)...

not trying to be contrary...just trying to get a handle on this fight....

my first impression was branch also...and like an idiot i parred branch small ....THEN rewatched both guys`recent fights....

////is there a name for what i have?....and suitable meds?

[illmatick]

Brooklyn in the house? Branch has nice hands but as you mentioned it's his inactivity that worries me. Both of his brothers are pro Boxers, Sechew Powell is one of them I believe.

Attonito might be able to get this to the ground, Branch's takedown attempts were completley telegraphed against Drawl.

rooting for Branch but too tough to call.

[Vaughany]

i haven`t seen branch`s jits translate into mma in the fights i watched....drwal was subbed twice in his 4 losses leading up to his branch fight...and branch had him on his back for long stretches... .branch was on top and on his back in both fights(drwal/harris..either/or) ..i don`t think i even saw a submission attempted(i admittedly missed about a half round of the harris fight)......his only submissions thus far are rear naked chokes vs lesser competition...

some black belts` jits just don`t translate into mma...

that said,the difference in quicks and athleticism is pretty substantial....i suspect that much of this takes place standing...if it does,i`m hoping that branch can do enough to nab the win with sporadic counter striking off the back foot... attonito combines drwal`s lack of quickness(good for branch) with harris` westling acumen(bad for branch)...

not trying to be contrary...just trying to get a handle on this fight....

my first impression was branch also...and like an idiot i parred branch small ....THEN rewatched both guys`recent fights....

////is there a name for what i have?....and suitable meds?

I agree, his BJJ hasnt looked dangerous in the two fights so far but it looked like he was being very conservative in the Drwal fight and looking to take a decision without taking any risks - knowing that he'd get cut if he lost 2 on the bounce ..."fighting to not lose, rather than fighting to win" as GSP would say!

[rocky mattioli]

Brooklyn in the house? Branch has nice hands but as you mentioned it's his inactivity that worries me. Both of his brothers are pro Boxers, Sechew Powell is one of them I believe.

Attonito might be able to get this to the ground, Branch's takedown attempts were completley telegraphed against Drawl.

rooting for Branch but too tough to call.

yeah...sechew powell is legit.......branch is a clever boxer..very quick dude...obviously talented.....just needs to push it a little harder,imo...


btw...the more i look into wilkinson/ mckenzie,the better i feel about getting some +160 on wilkinson....

if i hadn`t read some of the threads from our blue chip cappers here,i probably would have missed out on the excellent line value...

[jin2daj]

im on the underdog in a 50/50 fight.

[JuicedUp]

Branch -165 3x

[rocky mattioli]

branch actually out-wrestled attonito and basically took him down at will......

fell into a winner(one parlay leg)without doing my homework....

the board was basically dead on with branch...

well done,gents...

[JuicedUp]