Oliveira, Gillespie, Taisumov, Makhachev

Underground
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Oliveira, 5 fight win streak since Jan 2018.

Gillespie, 3 fight win streak since Jan 2018.

Taisumov, 1 fight win streak since Jan 2018 (6 fight win streak total, 5 KOs).

Makhachev, 3 fight win streak since Jan 2018.

These guys have been going out there beating everyone put in front of them.

Can’t seem to get a fight with a top ten.

All four men are fightmatrix top 20 ranked UFC LWs. Can’t get a big fight.

The Diaz, Pettis, Felder and Barbozas, Cerrones of the division can’t get all the big fights at the expense of these other guys.

Usually, you keep winning in the UFC you get promoted to big fights with top ranked guys. It still works like that at LHW and HW.

LW is so deep its not functioning like that right now.

Prizefighting is prizefighting but its always functioned like a sport as well with winners getting to climb the ranks.

These guys are not getting rewarded much and it cheapens things.

Tournament structure favors guys like this who can win a lot but can’t get rewarded with a big fight, prizefighting structure favors guys like Diaz, Conor, and Barboza who can keep getting the big fights, even after loses.

You can’t call MMA much a sport if Oliveira can’t a big fight after five wins vs top 50 fightmatrix ranked UFC LW’s in a row while Diaz sits out that entire time and can just return and get a huge fight.

The UFC would be better if they had continual tournaments as well as separate world title fights.

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I thought Oliviera was at FW? Also he's gotten big fights and has lost....

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Have you ever seen 2 pigeons have the arc?

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Good post. Especially Oliveira should really get some markee match ups now.

If he had a chin he'd probably already be a champ. He is one of those guys, if you just look at pure skill. When he is on he makes his opponents look like they don't belong. 

Still can't believe they somehow gave him Lentz again, he just beat the shit out of the same guy for the 3rd time. Time to get a step up.

 

Taisumov just had a steroid thing I believe and also constantly visa issues. I still remember training with his team in Vienna, they made me pray to Allah with them haha. It was all in good fun,  everyone was pretty friendly.

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Would really like to see Paul Felder vs Taisumov

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I'm still holding out hope though, hope that all four will get big fights soon.

Its my favorite weight class and I enjoy watching all four compete.

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dinkledorf -

Good post. Especially Oliveira should really get some markee match ups now.

If he had a chin he'd probably already be a champ. He is one of those guys, if you just look at pure skill. When he is on he makes his opponents look like they don't belong. 

Still can't believe they somehow gave him Lentz again, he just beat the shit out of the same guy for the 3rd time. Time to get a step up.

 

Taisumov just had a steroid thing I believe and also constantly visa issues. I still remember training with his team in Vienna, they made me pray to Allah with them haha. It was all in good fun,  everyone was pretty friendly.

Anymore stories?? 

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I mean Taisumov, dude KOed like five UFC journymen in a row and all he got was a fight with Desmond Green (no offense).

It looks like Taisumov and Makhachev will both be fighting on the Khabib vs Poireir card in Abu Dhabi. It just won’t be acceptable for either guy to not get fighters vs top 15 or top 10 ranked fighters at this point.

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how about Oliviera against Gillespie

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Oliveira is the #6 ranked fightmatrix UFC LW, last fight was vs #18.

Gillespie is the #10 ranked fightmatrix UFC LW, last fight was vs #26.

Taisumov is the #20 ranked fightmatrix UFC LW, last fight was vs #25.

Makhachev is the #14 ranked fightmatrix UFC LW, last fight was vs #50.

Some of these like #20 vs #25 would not be a big deal but the issue is all four of these guys are always fighting fighters ranked below though and they are not ever getting a chance to fight higher ranked fighters. Not over the past couple years anyway.

Lets see if things improve now. Diaz, Pettis, and Lee are out of the way, up at WW. Vick, Hernandez and Iaquinta just lost.

Hopefully there is an opportunity now for these guys to get some of big opportunities guys like Lee, Pettis and Barboza are rewarded with time and time again.

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Add Leonardo Santos in there with these killers.

6-0-1 in the UFC

He back.

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Where did you get your stats on Gregor, bud? He's never lost.

 

13 wins undefeated since January of 14. Never lost a fight.

Or if you meant UFC then it's 6 wins undefeated since September 2016. 

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IronWill - 

Where did you get your stats on Gregor, bud? He's never lost.

 

13 wins undefeated since January of 14. Never lost a fight.

Or if you meant UFC then it's 6 wins undefeated since September 2016. 

I know he has never lost and I know he is 6-0 in the UFC.

I just chose to focus on what all those guys have done since the beginning of last year, just to focus on what they have done lately. Taisumov and Makhachev also have longer actual win streaks than the Jan 1st date captures.

1 Like
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Think all those guys can be in top 10, with a big win.

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Carlos Diego Ferreira is climbing the ranks too with a 4 fight win streak. 6-2 in the UFC, last loss was via KO to Poirier.

Gilbert Burns is 4-1 in his last five.

Davi Ramos on a four fight win streak.

Santos is now the 14th ranked fightmatrix UFC LW.

With 93 LWs signed, some fights should be announced soon with some of these guys.

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Hooker vs Vick just got signed for July 20th. Both guys were climbing the ranks and just lost when they ran into Barboza, Gaethje, and Felder.

I consider Oliveira, Gillespie, Taisumov, Makhachev, and Santos as favorites over both those guys for sure.

LW needs to get some fights announced and I’m sure it will soon.

Even with Diaz, Pettis, Lee going up to WW and Conor gone and Khabib on the bench, still plenty of interest in the division with these killers coming up.

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Not many people want to fight Taisumov. Also he can't ever get a visa for US fights. Him vs Barbosa would be awesome

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The LW is so packed!!!

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The Closed Guard - 

I thought Oliviera was at FW? Also he's gotten big fights and has lost....

He has but I think he’s leveld up since his last loss both technically (especially on the feet) but more importantly mentally he took care of some things.

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dinkledorf - 

Good post. Especially Oliveira should really get some markee match ups now.

If he had a chin he'd probably already be a champ. He is one of those guys, if you just look at pure skill. When he is on he makes his opponents look like they don't belong. 

Still can't believe they somehow gave him Lentz again, he just beat the shit out of the same guy for the 3rd time. Time to get a step up.

 

Taisumov just had a steroid thing I believe and also constantly visa issues. I still remember training with his team in Vienna, they made me pray to Allah with them haha. It was all in good fun,  everyone was pretty friendly.

I think we’re going to see Oliveira hit his potential. The Felder loss was a glaring example but to me he used to mentally weaken (I don’t want to use the word break) if something didn’t go according to plan or something stopped going his way. Namely if he had a sub and didn’t finish it seemed like he’d get frustrated or crack a little bit in the head.

In his past 5 wins he seems to have taken care of that issue as well as polished his stand up more. He’s also not even 30 yet and he’s been sharpening his ground game even more by competing a lot in BJJ tournaments (gi and no-gi) which is not something he has usually done simultaneously while fighting in the UFC.