Usman is boring, but that does not reflect on his character. It is a very strange tic of internet fans to assume that fighter’s excitement levels are somehow reflective of their character.
If Dustin Porrier could have Usman’s level of success, he would adopt his style. If fighting like Justin Gaethje would make Usman better, he’d fight like Justin Gaethje.* Usman fights to win. That meant an exciting fight versus Colby and boring fights versus Tyron and Masvidal. Gilbert Burns fights to win. That means a boring fight versus Woodley but an exciting fight versus Maia.
Anyone who has spent time in high level gyms know that fighters use the tools they have to win and succeed in the sport.
*Gaethje is a rare exception to this rule. Early in his career, he made a choice to prioritize excitement over achievement.
Usman wins within the rules allowed. He can establish a small amount of momentum via being on the dominant side of a clinch or top position on the ground, and stall the fight to win a decision.
I completely understand, as well as side with the majority of fans who are not happy with what they saw.
But enough bitching, how about some solution offering?
Allow head butts. That would be a useful tool for Usman's limited game. Limited for a champion, he's a fucking monster but to me, he still can improve much more, I don't think he's limited to what we saw against Jorge.
Encouragement for referee's to say "Action!!!" more often. Have realistic expectations, and be consistent with them. There will be moments of "lul" in a fight, but there simply was far too much of that in Usman/Jorge.
Promoters, it hurts your product. To rid this, encourage referees to get fighters to be more active, and don't be afraid to get a rule you originally had(headutts allowed), back in play. It was the mid 90's and cage fighting was taboo. Now it's "mma" and on regular cable networks.
Barboza wheelkick ko
Hendos H-bomb
Rampage's slam on Arona
Those are okay, but headbutts are too violent? Lets be pro-active and make this more realistic fighting, not watered down.
I also think this isn’t really about Usman. Masvidal is a legit big star now, so Usman probably could have won in any way other than KO and fans would likely be attacking him.
Ministry of Truth - I also think this isn't really about Usman. Masvidal is a legit big star now, so Usman probably could have won in any way other than KO and fans would likely be attacking him.
Strongly disagree. I watch fights for clarity on who the better man is, not who can establish momentum and hold the other one down until time runs out.
If I have the choice between Jorge winning a boring decision, or Usman winning via finish, I would go with Usman via finish all day every day.
Usman wins within the rules allowed. He can establish a small amount of momentum via being on the dominant side of a clinch or top position on the ground, and stall the fight to win a decision.
I completely understand, as well as side with the majority of fans who are not happy with what they saw.
But enough bitching, how about some solution offering?
Allow head butts. That would be a useful tool for Usman's limited game. Limited for a champion, he's a fucking monster but to me, he still can improve much more, I don't think he's limited to what we saw against Jorge.
Encouragement for referee's to say "Action!!!" more often. Have realistic expectations, and be consistent with them. There will be moments of "lul" in a fight, but there simply was far too much of that in Usman/Jorge.
Promoters, it hurts your product. To rid this, encourage referees to get fighters to be more active, and don't be afraid to get a rule you originally had(headutts allowed), back in play. It was the mid 90's and cage fighting was taboo. Now it's "mma" and on regular cable networks.
Barboza wheelkick ko
Hendos H-bomb
Rampage's slam on Arona
Those are okay, but headbutts are too violent? Lets be pro-active and make this more realistic fighting, not watered down.
More breaks on the fence would have helped. Jorge didn’t do himself favors here, but did enough to warrant some restarts IMO. Usman fought a boring fight, no way around it.
Usman wins within the rules allowed. He can establish a small amount of momentum via being on the dominant side of a clinch or top position on the ground, and stall the fight to win a decision.
I completely understand, as well as side with the majority of fans who are not happy with what they saw.
But enough bitching, how about some solution offering?
Allow head butts. That would be a useful tool for Usman's limited game. Limited for a champion, he's a fucking monster but to me, he still can improve much more, I don't think he's limited to what we saw against Jorge.
Encouragement for referee's to say "Action!!!" more often. Have realistic expectations, and be consistent with them. There will be moments of "lul" in a fight, but there simply was far too much of that in Usman/Jorge.
Promoters, it hurts your product. To rid this, encourage referees to get fighters to be more active, and don't be afraid to get a rule you originally had(headutts allowed), back in play. It was the mid 90's and cage fighting was taboo. Now it's "mma" and on regular cable networks.
Barboza wheelkick ko
Hendos H-bomb
Rampage's slam on Arona
Those are okay, but headbutts are too violent? Lets be pro-active and make this more realistic fighting, not watered down.
This is always the case.
As always, this fundamental truth will be ignored.
Same with knees on a grounded fighters.
More weapons=more exciting fights.
It’s just stupid to penalize a fighter for playing to win. If you don’t like that a certain strategy is a winning strategy, then you change the rules so that it’s not a winning strategy, because athletes play to win.
Sometimes we have to just accept things, and deal with them.
Usman isn’t a power striker. He’s not going to KO people. If he fights a guy who can KO people, he would be an absolute idiot to not try to clinch them or take them down.
It’s like a guy with a shotgun trying to stay at range from a guy with a rifle.
It’s like expecting Cam Newton to sit back in the pocket and read defenses every play rather than to take off and run when he gets the opportunity.
Usman wins within the rules allowed. He can establish a small amount of momentum via being on the dominant side of a clinch or top position on the ground, and stall the fight to win a decision.
I completely understand, as well as side with the majority of fans who are not happy with what they saw.
But enough bitching, how about some solution offering?
Allow head butts. That would be a useful tool for Usman's limited game. Limited for a champion, he's a fucking monster but to me, he still can improve much more, I don't think he's limited to what we saw against Jorge.
Encouragement for referee's to say "Action!!!" more often. Have realistic expectations, and be consistent with them. There will be moments of "lul" in a fight, but there simply was far too much of that in Usman/Jorge.
Promoters, it hurts your product. To rid this, encourage referees to get fighters to be more active, and don't be afraid to get a rule you originally had(headutts allowed), back in play. It was the mid 90's and cage fighting was taboo. Now it's "mma" and on regular cable networks.
Barboza wheelkick ko
Hendos H-bomb
Rampage's slam on Arona
Those are okay, but headbutts are too violent? Lets be pro-active and make this more realistic fighting, not watered down.
This is always the case.
As always, this fundamental truth will be ignored.
Same with knees on a grounded fighters.
More weapons=more exciting fights.
It’s just stupid to penalize a fighter for playing to win. If you don’t like that a certain strategy is a winning strategy, then you change the rules so that it’s not a winning strategy, because athletes play to win.
Always have, always will. Cue Herm Edwards.
100% agree and shame on me for forgetting to mention knees/kicks to a downed opponent. Glad you mentioned it though.
There are many fighters however, like Korean Zombie as a recent example, who will literally risk everything in a fight he's up, to make sure there's no doubt who the winner of the fight is. He got knocked out for it, but to me, you fight for respect and despite losing, TKZ's stock went up so high in that fight he lost the last 5 seconds.
dangerboy12 - Sometimes we have to just accept things, and deal with them.
Usman isn’t a power striker. He’s not going to KO people. If he fights a guy who can KO people, he would be an absolute idiot to not try to clinch them or take them down.
It’s like a guy with a shotgun trying to stay at range from a guy with a rifle.
It’s like expecting Cam Newton to sit back in the pocket and read defenses every play rather than to take off and run when he gets the opportunity.
Usman wins within the rules allowed. He can establish a small amount of momentum via being on the dominant side of a clinch or top position on the ground, and stall the fight to win a decision.
I completely understand, as well as side with the majority of fans who are not happy with what they saw.
But enough bitching, how about some solution offering?
Allow head butts. That would be a useful tool for Usman's limited game. Limited for a champion, he's a fucking monster but to me, he still can improve much more, I don't think he's limited to what we saw against Jorge.
Encouragement for referee's to say "Action!!!" more often. Have realistic expectations, and be consistent with them. There will be moments of "lul" in a fight, but there simply was far too much of that in Usman/Jorge.
Promoters, it hurts your product. To rid this, encourage referees to get fighters to be more active, and don't be afraid to get a rule you originally had(headutts allowed), back in play. It was the mid 90's and cage fighting was taboo. Now it's "mma" and on regular cable networks.
Barboza wheelkick ko
Hendos H-bomb
Rampage's slam on Arona
Those are okay, but headbutts are too violent? Lets be pro-active and make this more realistic fighting, not watered down.
This is always the case.
As always, this fundamental truth will be ignored.
Same with knees on a grounded fighters.
More weapons=more exciting fights.
It’s just stupid to penalize a fighter for playing to win. If you don’t like that a certain strategy is a winning strategy, then you change the rules so that it’s not a winning strategy, because athletes play to win.
Always have, always will. Cue Herm Edwards.
100% agree and shame on me for forgetting to mention knees/kicks to a downed opponent. Glad you mentioned it though.
There are many fighters however, like Korean Zombie as a recent example, who will literally risk everything in a fight he's up, to make sure there's no doubt who the winner of the fight is. He got knocked out for it, but to me, you fight for respect and despite losing, TKZ's stock went up so high in that fight he lost the last 5 seconds.
You also forgot soccer kicks to a downed opponent after a failed takedown vs wrestlers like Usman or Colby.
Strikers like Shogun comes to mind. Removed his most dangerous arsenals. Hasn’t looked the same since Pride rules.
Ufc fighting is rigged towards wrestlers because knees on a down opponent and soccer kicks are too violent? Give me a break. This is fighting right?
Ministry of Truth - I think if you are risk averse, you are likely to fight carefully (AKA boring).
Honestly, I don’t think so. And I have trouble reflecting on my years at high level gyms and finding a correlation.
These people went into prize fighting. They aren’t risk averse. They simply use the tools they have.
I think to a certain extent, in certain parts of fights, your inner personality can dictate how you fight.
And to MoT’s point, someone like McGregor will stand in the line of fire to throw a counter, while someone like Shevchenko seeing the same thing will defend first.
Ministry of Truth - I also think this isn't really about Usman. Masvidal is a legit big star now, so Usman probably could have won in any way other than KO and fans would likely be attacking him.
Strongly disagree. I watch fights for clarity on who the better man is, not who can establish momentum and hold the other one down until time runs out.
If I have the choice between Jorge winning a boring decision, or Usman winning via finish, I would go with Usman via finish all day every day.
You’re obviously not a typical or average fan, so I wouldn’t expect you to agree.
I have noticed when stars lose there are always sour grapes, and when they lose via one-sided decision, the grapes seem to be even more sour.
Usman wins within the rules allowed. He can establish a small amount of momentum via being on the dominant side of a clinch or top position on the ground, and stall the fight to win a decision.
I completely understand, as well as side with the majority of fans who are not happy with what they saw.
But enough bitching, how about some solution offering?
Allow head butts. That would be a useful tool for Usman's limited game. Limited for a champion, he's a fucking monster but to me, he still can improve much more, I don't think he's limited to what we saw against Jorge.
Encouragement for referee's to say "Action!!!" more often. Have realistic expectations, and be consistent with them. There will be moments of "lul" in a fight, but there simply was far too much of that in Usman/Jorge.
Promoters, it hurts your product. To rid this, encourage referees to get fighters to be more active, and don't be afraid to get a rule you originally had(headutts allowed), back in play. It was the mid 90's and cage fighting was taboo. Now it's "mma" and on regular cable networks.
Barboza wheelkick ko
Hendos H-bomb
Rampage's slam on Arona
Those are okay, but headbutts are too violent? Lets be pro-active and make this more realistic fighting, not watered down.
Clinching a dangerous striker is not just stalling though. Its wearing out their arms to take out their zip in their strikes. Its universal strategy 101. And if the striker allows himself to put in that situation over and over, too bad for him. When you say solutions, there are plenty of solutions already available…like footwork, like circling, like striking more from the outside and not throwing overhand lunging punches that put you in clinch position for the opponent.
Also, the 5 minute rounds already favour strikers.
Also, Usman gave Jorge plenty of time to bang and he took everything Jorge had to offer and countered.