Conor/Dustin 3 Gameplans?

[MojoSoDope]

Dustin even admitted he was hurt bad and Conor could have finished him if he realized. Let’s not act like Conor can’t hurt him at lw too.

[Wasa-B]

@william795

I honestly believe Conor needs to use a stick & move game plan utilizing his full arsenal & countering when it presents itself. Just touching Dustin over & over, not looking for kill shots like he’s saying. That’s a good way to gas & get countered hard while overcommitting. This one punch power is overrated & needs to land off of a counter or when Dustin is expecting another “touch” but he’s actually sitting down on it.

I think that is pretty much the consensus everywhere…move more and kick more with diff kicks. But the whole pace himself thing…we saw him do that in the Nate rematch and still saw that major drop off in R2. Also, either way, if it goes into r3 on, his chances decrease drastically and Dustin’s increases drastically. So perhaps he still needs to go for the kill in r1?

[william795]

He has good power but shouldn’t be blasting every shot like that. Precision & timing right? Touch the guy, force openings, capitalize on opportunities created by setups. Feel things out. Don’t try to make it a 2 minute fight.

[Nick_Diaz_Army]

@KidQuick

I am sure he will have made adjustments to his game plan. I hope he throws some spinning shit.

[Me_Calf_Ariel]

Conor

R1: Throw punches, hope something lands
R2: Give up

Dustin

R1: Survive Conor’s punches, hope nothing lands
R2: Win

[wiggum]

@Wasa-B

Thanks for the shout brah! I was looking for this thread and couldn’t find it a while back. As usu, for any major fight, I’ve watched all the breakdowns but as usu found the Weasle and Jack Slack’s the most insightful. The weasle said something to the extent that Connor has to kick and move. Also that Dustin leg kicked him in both fights with diff stances but that movement is his best defense against that. I’ve always thought Connor’s front kicks were the best weapon he doesn’t use anymore and doesn’t use as much energy and less risk than the other kicks.

I guess it still comes down to Connor needing to put Dustin away in the first 2 rounds. I think I agree that Connor has to be less boxing centric. I think Dustin has to do what he did last time which is mix it up with whatever is open and be ready for a diff Connor.

Connor had some nice shots up until early R2 but Dustin also had the takedown, extended clinch time and also right hook counters out the gate. I think the onus is on Connor to elevate his game and Dustin to just be Dustin. Not sure any particular strategies stick out…

Agreed on all counts.

Conor would do well to take some zip off his shots, be lighter on his feet, and light up Dustin’s body with front kicks!

[MojoSoDope]

I don’t think Conor is going to come out in his old stance. When he used to face off with guys he would get into his wider stance. When he did this time he put his hands up and got into a boxing stance.

[KidQuick]

@MojoSoDope

Dustin even admitted he was hurt bad and Conor could have finished him if he realized. Let’s not act like Conor can’t hurt him at lw too.

McGregor has power at lightweight, look at what he did to Eddie Alvarez.

[KidQuick]

@Me_Calf_Ariel

R1: Throw punches, hope something lands
R2: Give up

Dustin

R1: Survive Conor’s punches, hope nothing lands
R2: Win

Dustin

R1: Shoot for take down immediately and clinch trying to drain Conor’s power.
R2: Leg kick until Conor’s leg gives out.

Conor

R1: Take Dustin’s head off with kicks and punches
R2: Take Dustin’s head off with kicks and punches.

[wiggum]

Dustin did what we thought and suggested he should: just come to fight and take things where they go.

Conor did some of what I suggested: front kicks, lighter stance. The plan to attack leg kicks was stupid with and without hindsight (I said it in OP. But, I was being intellectually lazy and I was wrong). Justin Gaethje chewed the fuck out of Dustin’s legs – and Justin is the best leg kicker in the sport. And it didn’t do much and Dustin still got the finish. Conor right right to use a ton of kicks, including side kicks to the leg. But, traditional leg kicks was a bad idea.

[william795]

I had suggested he stick & move a lot just touching Dustin up, but once he started exchanging the pocket was the beginning of the end. Dustin is more powerful & durable at 155 than Conor, he filled out. Years ago at 145 Conor was probably the bigger guy. Conor couldn’t handle the exchanges in the pocket.

[wiggum]

@william795

I had suggested he stick & move a lot just touching Dustin up, but once he started exchanging the pocket was the beginning of the end. Dustin is more powerful & durable at 155 than Conor, he filled out. Years ago at 145 Conor was probably the bigger guy. Conor couldn’t handle the exchanges in the pocket.

Yup. And at 155, without epic power, he can’t stick and move forever against a guy like Dustin who’ll walk through hell to get into the pocket. Once they had an extended exchange, Conor started grappling.

[KidQuick]

That only happened after Conor fucked his ankle up…