The first kickboxing fight, Adesanya was in a close tit for tat fight and might’ve deserved the decision. Second kickboxing fight, Adesanya was winning and even had a standing 8 count before the KO loss. First MMA fight, Adesanya was winning the fight even had Pereira badly hurt in the first round before the KO loss in the fifth round.
This last fight was the only time Adesanya started so slow, ceding ground so easily vs Pereira giving up minutes and moments for two rounds… until the KO win. No other previous fight had such a stretch like this. And I thought maybe this was just how this fight manifested especially with maybe how Pereira was so confident against Adesanya. But then when Bareman entered the octagon, Israel did the whole big bow to him. It made me wonder. If Bareman and Adesanya’s plan was to give up the beginning of the fight, let AP get confident and possibly careless to look for the kill shot that’s been open for Israel before.
It’s a gamble. But IA was 0-3 against AP and no longer the champ. Maybe less to lose on that strategy.
Good breakdowns of their past fights and esp of the last one. That is one thing the analysts have commented on is that Izzy was backing up too much last fight and in this fight this time, instead of moving away when his back was against the cage, he was firing back this time. Also i think Izzy compromising his leg from the checks contributed to his ceding ground last fight?
As far as the bow to Bareman, i didnt see that but cmon, he is one of the best coaches in the game, of course they had to be prepared with a diff strategy. Bareman is also not Volk’s head coach but Volk also level’ed up huge in the 3rd fight with Holloway after the first 2 fights were very close.
i dont think Alex should be faulted for going for the kill against Izzy but i think the big gap was that he did so with his hands down without knowing how hurt Izzy was. He didnt want to leave it until the last round again either but he paid the price.
Yea… last fight when AP used Adesanya as a punching bag the “bait” didn’t work that well… Seriously, a little critical thinking. You don’t have to believe every single stupid thing you’re told.
Y’all are right, the big thing for me was that Izzy was backing up and retreating/evading in the last fight. Usually he counters first then circles or retreats. This time he wasn’t, just landing his shots and when Alex pressured he was desperately trying to avoid getting hit. He was decisively winning but the exchanges were focused on landing and getting out, and not exchanging at all off the back foot. That’s where Israel is his most dangerous. This time he was countering and that’s when I noticed his confidence.
Wonder if there are any other examples of world class guys having competed in judo, wrestling, bjj, boxing, karate etc fought again in MMA? Must be some cases from wrestling esp the American collegiate guys.
Former world champ KBer Gabriel Varga breaks the fight and also how Alex’s flaws were exploited in the end and adjustments Izzy and camp made for the rematch.
To answer OP’s question, as Varga’s vid shows, it does look like Izzy did feel the calf kicks but I think it’s clear he played possum by covering up over the kick as he was not rocked in the head and Alex took the bait.
Also Izzy’s ability to stance switch and flight well off both stances helps when he gets calf kicked as most others will do that as a defensive measure only and cannot fight well off the opposite stance.
What gameplan!? Do you still actually believe that nonsense? Izzy was hurt, was in trouble, and threw a counter haymaker that landed much thanks to sloppy work from AP
Accept? I wrote that immediately after the fight you imbacile. I even wrote before the fight that alex as champ short lived because of lack of versatility and ground game, among other thing, you dumb gaped crrampied asshole
Among what? Hundreds of practice movea that were not filmed? Reminds of of the ridiculous Leon “we practiced kick to head. It wasnt a lucky shot.” The head was exposed so he kicked the head. Wow. Such a genius plan.
