I've seen a lot of comments criticizing Gus's fight IQ and performance. I really think DC's approach forced him between a rock and a hard place.
The first round proved two things: (1) If DC is in on Gus, he will secure a takedown. (2) If DC gets a takedown, the round is lost.
Thus, Gus began backing up. Anybody who has wrestled at a high level knows how difficult it is to get a successful leg attack on a good defensive wrestling who is backing up. What it does allow, however, is the opportunity to work the head. This is why the clinch uppercuts were so successful.
While Gus's backing up nullified DC's wrestling (he didn't even attempt any more leg attacks because of the distance/direction), it also nullified his own striking. DC was able to out strike Gus because he was going backwards.
Anyways, I'm not really sure Gus could have done better than he did tonight. I do think DC had a lot of success with inside leg kicks and I'm not sure why he didn't lean on them heavily. Regardless, both guys put in a masterful fight that was a joy to watch.
not sure this explains allowing someone to pull your head down repeatedly with one hand and punch with with the other. Especially when your head is 4 feet above your opponents.
BrianStannFan -
not sure this explains allowing someone to pull your head down repeatedly with one hand and punch with with the other. Especially when your head is 4 feet above your opponents.
Scoring a leg attack off a collar tie is really difficult if your opponent is backing up. To gain proper posture, Gus would have had to come forward. DC would have taken him down pretty quickly from there.
I missed the fight but I'm hearing a lot about DC's uppercuts. Uppercuts are what won him his only round against Jones (in my opinion) before Jones figured him out. If Gus ate as many as people are saying I'm surprised he didn't plan for it a little better. Uppercuts was literally the only thing DC had for Jones. 
Darth Ryase - I missed the fight but I'm hearing a lot about DC's uppercuts. Uppercuts are what won him his only round against Jones (in my opinion) before Jones figured him out. If Gus ate as many as people are saying I'm surprised he didn't plan for it a little better. Uppercuts was literally the only thing DC had for Jones.
Jones was actually able to fight against DC in the clinch coming forward. Gus wasn't. That was the big difference. I'm actually not sure how much Gus could have done/learned to change that equation.
After Gus was launched into the stratosphere the first round he did everything in his power to avoid getting close to DC. In fact he would literally run away if DC got close. And yes Gus wanted to keep his legs and hips back which helped DC hold his head down and blast him with those uppercuts. Those uppercuts were vicious, Gus stopped doing anything while those were landing and looked like he was rocked a couple times.
"Anyways, I'm not really sure Gus could have done better than he did tonight"
Interesting opinion. I think Gus could do things a lot better than he did last night.
He clearly showed multiple times that he could get the thai clinch and knee DC in the face, but most of the times he tried to dirty box back. He had success with leg kicks, a few of them clearly hurt DC but he abandoned them, he threw too many fancy front kicks and no sidekicks to DCs knee (Jones is excellent at this)
And most important of all, he wasted far too much energy trying to run when he could have angled off, he clearly lacked the confidence to throw his piston jab but rather pawed with it mostly and rarely followed up with the right hand
There were moments when Gus planted his feet and traded with DC and lit him up
His corner was also giving him horrible advice
GSPsShadyHandWraps - "Anyways, I'm not really sure Gus could have done better than he did tonight"
Interesting opinion. I think Gus could do things a lot better than he did last night.
He clearly showed multiple times that he could get the thai clinch and knee DC in the face, but most of the times he tried to dirty box back. He had success with leg kicks, a few of them clearly hurt DC but he abandoned them, he threw too many fancy front kicks and no sidekicks to DCs knee (Jones is excellent at this)
And most important of all, he wasted far too much energy trying to run when he could have angled off, he clearly lacked the confidence to throw his piston jab but rather pawed with it mostly and rarely followed up with the right hand
There were moments when Gus planted his feet and traded with DC and lit him up
His corner was also giving him horrible advice
I agree that he had some success throwing the knee. However, two things come to mind: (1) If he did that too often, DC would have started catching the knee IMO. (2) He couldn't hold the thai clinch for more than a second or two; DC would have bodylocked and either got the TD there or got in on a leg attack.
I do agree that he could have angled better, but that's easier said than done.
Gus planting his feet would have gotten him lifted off the ground eventually. He had to keep moving (backward) to avoid the shot.
I just rewatched the fight. Gus threw a decent amount of knees. Most just didn't land.
DC got one takedown and Gus got two, I'm not sure I agree that Gus was forced to back up the entire fight or he'd be taken down and lose the round.
orcus - DC got one takedown and Gus got two, I'm not sure I agree that Gus was forced to back up the entire fight or he'd be taken down and lose the round.
The statistic you've given is accurate, but it doesn't invalidate my point.
After round 1, Gus spent essentially the entire fight backing up (making it very hard for DC to get the takedown but possible for DC to outstrike him).
Gus did get two takedowns, but they were from the outside.
ttt
"Gus planting his feet would have gotten him lifted off the ground eventually. He had to keep moving (backward) to avoid the shot."
He wasnt moving backwards when Daniel was blasting him in the collar tie all those times. And IIRC he was even up against the fence a few times
I think you are basically saying Cormier can take him down at will when that didnt seem to be the case other than the first big slam. Even Cormier said postfight that his wrestling was incredible
Gus moving backwards had more to do with his inability to fight from the inside than fear of being taken down IMO. I think you are looking at this strictly from a wrestling perspective when it was much more of a striking match, Cormier outboxed him
Lack of the jab and straight punches is what cost Gus failed to do most, imo. Even backing up he should have been popping his jab repeatedly to slow dc down and score points. At one point in the 3rd or 4th he started using it and landed 4 or 5 in a row, but then stopped again and let dc close the distance. For someone with such a reach and height advantage he should have had dc on the end of his punches all night. 
GSPsShadyHandWraps - "Gus planting his feet would have gotten him lifted off the ground eventually. He had to keep moving (backward) to avoid the shot."
He wasnt moving backwards when Daniel was blasting him in the collar tie all those times. And IIRC he was even up against the fence a few times
I think you are basically saying Cormier can take him down at will when that didnt seem to be the case other than the first big slam. Even Cormier said postfight that his wrestling was incredible
Gus moving backwards had more to do with his inability to fight from the inside than fear of being taken down IMO. I think you are looking at this strictly from a wrestling perspective when it was much more of a striking match, Cormier outboxed him
"He wasnt moving backwards when Daniel was blasting him in the collar tie all those times. And IIRC he was even up against the fence a few times"
He may not have been retreating in the way he was doing from space, but his hips were back. Proper posture would have required that his hips were in - but that would have made the transition from a collar tie to a leg attack much easier.
"I think you are basically saying Cormier can take him down at will when that didnt seem to be the case other than the first big slam."
I'm saying that if Gus engaged with Cormier in the clinch or moved forward/kept his feet planted, he would have been taken down at will. Instead, he spent most of the fight in retreat. iirc, Cormier only had one other leg attack attempt the whole fight.
"Gus moving backwards had more to do with his inability to fight from the inside than fear of being taken down IMO. I think you are looking at this strictly from a wrestling perspective when it was much more of a striking match, Cormier outboxed him"
I think Cormier outstruck him because in his avoidance of wrestling put him in a poor position from which to strike.
Wiggum is correct
I thought the thread was going to read "affirmative action"
GiblerTRT - I thought the thread was going to read "affirmative action"
I guess that's your problem.