Every elite fighter has that moment where they turn from pretender to contender. This was Gonzagas moment. He's that good. Why's that so hard to accept? Are Fedor, Crocop, and Nog the only fighters allowed to be good? lmao
Gonzaga was lucky that he was so much better than Cro Cop.
I always have been reading everything and let Napao about what you guys says and he wants to say thanks for all the support.
Just to help you guys a little to realize what happened on that fight.
First of all when Napao signed for that fight he knew that Cro Cop was a huge fight for him and very hard fight. The only way that he could have a chance was been in the best shape of his life technically, physically and mentally.
Gabriel stay almost away of his family (wife and daughter) for two months, just training and training. His team studied almost all Cro Cop fights and we knew every single step that he was going to try against Napao: Standing, clinch, ground.
Napao went to that fight in so good shape ready to fight 10 rounds of five minutes if was it needed.
He was very confident because he knew that he had a great chance in that fight.
Gabriel moved to Ludlow-mass and he just train and it is what he wants to do. He wants to be the UFC heavy weight champion.
My personal opinion is that Gabriel Napao is the future of the sport: Great hands, awesome wrestling, and great ground game.
If Napao takes seriously his next fight (what I believe he is going to do) like he took the last one he has all the chances to be the next champion.
Marco Alvan
"because the loss to Werdum has to mean something"
No it doesn't it was ages ago and early in his career. All it means is he is not perfect.
every now and again Mirko comes in unprepared. Mirko is far from done.
cro cop thinks (thought) the ufc is a lesser org that will put lesser fighters in front of him compared to the mighty PRIDE..This attitude showed and he got blasted... Mirko needs to learn the ground game, the cage, and recognize!!!!!
Kirik's post should be required reading
^ Only time will tell, this is just the beginning. But in this 'your only good as your last fight UG', Gonzaga can rip thru his comp for years, get his ass kicked years later and people will say he was never that good as they are with CC now.
So continues the UG cycle...
Gonzaga's standup didn't appear to be anything amazing, but he pressured Crocop from the beginning. He kept coming in throwing multiple punches, which kept Mirko from ever getting set. And Gonzaga does have very heavy hands. It's not like he was winning standup exchanges with Crocop, because Crocop never actually exchanged and Gonzaga really didn't land anything (aside from the finishing kick, of course). Mirko was just kind of flat-footed, obviously not expecting this kind of pressure from Gonzaga on the feet, and unable to adapt quickly enough.
On the ground, Napao had really heavy and constant GnP that again kept Crocop from collecting himself and figuring a way out. And as Mirko said, the elbows to the temple rattled him bad and blurred his vision, so he was in big trouble from then on.
gonzaga fought perfectly, vs crocop who fought unlike he normally does
great fight- hats off to Gonzaga for an incredible win
"It's not like he was winning standup exchanges with Crocop"
Except that he was. Check photo galleries. Gonzaga landed multiple punches and a very hard inside low kick.