UFC 249- Wrestlers

[WDuck5217]

With UFC 249 being the only live sport around (other than South Korean Baseball) I thought we might as well make a thread about it involving the wrestlers.


I’m not a giant UFC fan... I do follow a little bit though and am wondering if anybody who follows a lot knows who the wrestlers involved this weekend are and who I should root for.

Everyone should know Cejudo and although he’s sometimes a little cringey I’m definitely still rooting for him because of his wrestling background and relationship with Terry. He’s fighting Cruz who I believe has a little wrestling background. Justin Gaethje was a D1 All American as well but may have a tough time with Tony Ferguson who can roll around pretty well himself...

Does anybody else have any more info on some of these fighters or any predictions... it’s not wrestling going on but at least it’s something!

 

[Fluffles]

Cruz was great but he is getting old fast and has been dealing with repeated injuries for almost 10 years. The heavier guys can usually hang on past their prime. Not so much with the little guys. Cruz relies on footwork and movement which may be his undoing (if he has slowed) I could see Cejudo winning by flash knockout early. Cejudo is coming of a significant shoulder surgery himself, so he may struggle with some ring rust. Cruz is a big dude and has a good reach advantage, if he can stay outside the pocket and work his boxing he frustrates Cejudo into a decision win. Prediction: Cruz by split decision.

Gaethje doesn’t really use his wrestling and walks into the pocket to land bombs. Ferguson is crazy AF but will probably exploit this. Ferguson has some wrestling credentials himself including a NCWA national championship and a Michigan HS state championship. He is also a Jitsu black belt. Prediction: Ferguson by submission round 3 after an entertaining early slug fest.

At heavyweight-Prediction: The Predator by KO

 

[IAChief32]

Cruz wrestled at my old high school...I like Henry but have to root for my fellow Caballero.

 

[Exo]

In the UFC Embedded Vlog uploaded last night Cejudo said if he focused on wrestling he could make the Olympic team.

 

[WDuck5217]

In the UFC Embedded Vlog uploaded last night Cejudo said if he focused on wrestling he could make the Olympic team.

He did wrestle Ramos pretty tough in 2015 or 2016 at Agon... that being said with the guys we currently have at 57 kg with Lee, Gilman, Fix, Gross, Suriano, Tomasello, etc etc... I would not bet on him! Especially with how he is 33 years old right now and he would be very rusty.

 

[WDuck5217]

Cruz was great but he is getting old fast and has been dealing with repeated injuries for almost 10 years. The heavier guys can usually hang on past their prime. Not so much with the little guys. Cruz relies on footwork and movement which may be his undoing (if he has slowed) I could see Cejudo winning by flash knockout early. Cejudo is coming of a significant shoulder surgery himself, so he may struggle with some ring rust. Cruz is a big dude and has a good reach advantage, if he can stay outside the pocket and work his boxing he frustrates Cejudo into a decision win. Prediction: Cruz by split decision.

Gaethje doesn’t really use his wrestling and walks into the pocket to land bombs. Ferguson is crazy AF but will probably exploit this. Ferguson has some wrestling credentials himself including a NCWA national championship and a Michigan HS state championship. He is also a Jitsu black belt. Prediction: Ferguson by submission round 3 after an entertaining early slug fest.

At heavyweight-Prediction: The Predator by KO

Nice breakdown!
Looks like it will be a pretty good card coming at the perfect time with nothing else in the sports world happening.

Would you say Ferguson is favored in the grappling game with his Jiu Jitsu background and Gaethje’s lack of wrestling used.

 

[Fluffles]

Nice breakdown!
Looks like it will be a pretty good card coming at the perfect time with nothing else in the sports world happening.

Would you say Ferguson is favored in the grappling game with his Jiu Jitsu background and Gaethje’s lack of wrestling used.

Thanks. I think Gaethje would absolutely smoke Ferguson in a straight up folk style wrestling match. That said, I think Ferguson has much better MMA wrestling and cleaner transitions from striking to grappling as well as better submission credentials. Seems like a lot of wrestlers who hit hard fall in love with their striking and consequently their wrestling suffers. Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, as prime examples. It’s disappointing it’s not Ferguson v. Khabib; but I’m excited. What do you think?

 

[WitnessGreatness]

Thanks. I think Gaethje would absolutely smoke Ferguson in a straight up folk style wrestling match. That said, I think Ferguson has much better MMA wrestling and cleaner transitions from striking to grappling as well as better submission credentials. Seems like a lot of wrestlers who hit hard fall in love with their striking and consequently their wrestling suffers. Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, as prime examples. It’s disappointing it’s not Ferguson v. Khabib; but I’m excited. What do you think?

Tony also trains BJJ under Eddie Bravo as well

 

[el dub]

Thanks. I think Gaethje would absolutely smoke Ferguson in a straight up folk style wrestling match. That said, I think Ferguson has much better MMA wrestling and cleaner transitions from striking to grappling as well as better submission credentials. Seems like a lot of wrestlers who hit hard fall in love with their striking and consequently their wrestling suffers. Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, as prime examples. It’s disappointing it’s not Ferguson v. Khabib; but I’m excited. What do you think?

No offense, but Hendricks appeared to suffer from a lack of intelligence, or at least fight IQ. After listening to his weight missing excuses as a pro fighter, I was left with the impression that a sack of hammers would have a fighting chance in a reasoning contest.

 

[CurtisLoew40]

Dustin is the best value for your money in the UFC. He had great wrestling but he refuses to use it lol. He's extremely entertaining. He's just out there to knock you out or get knocked out lol. He's wild.
Tony is very strange fellow. Crazy his khabib fight has gotten ****ed uo four or five times now lol.

 

[WDuck5217]

Thanks. I think Gaethje would absolutely smoke Ferguson in a straight up folk style wrestling match. That said, I think Ferguson has much better MMA wrestling and cleaner transitions from striking to grappling as well as better submission credentials. Seems like a lot of wrestlers who hit hard fall in love with their striking and consequently their wrestling suffers. Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, as prime examples. It’s disappointing it’s not Ferguson v. Khabib; but I’m excited. What do you think?

I agree with this... I think Ferguson makes it very difficult for Khabib as he actually feels comfortable on bottom and is funky in a way. Gaethje is another tough matchup as he does have good wrestling experience (although he doesn’t use it) and is also a legit striker on his feet. I don’t know if Khabib could dominate on top like he does against everyone else. I am still rooting hard for Pico to progress, gain experience, and develop a jaw as on paper he has a large skill set and ability.

 

[aije]

Seems like a lot of wrestlers who hit hard fall in love with their striking and consequently their wrestling suffers. Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, as prime examples. It’s disappointing it’s not Ferguson v. Khabib; but I’m excited. What do you think?

It also could be that fighters with strong wrestling backgrounds feel extra pressure to create strike-filled fights so as to stay out of Dana White's doghouse. When Askren was in Bellator, White used to call him the "most boring fighter in the world" and more recently he ripped on Woodley saying "people don't want to watch you fight." Winning ugly doesn't count for much with White: he wants action.

 

[Rhino80]

I agree with this... I think Ferguson makes it very difficult for Khabib as he actually feels comfortable on bottom and is funky in a way. Gaethje is another tough matchup as he does have good wrestling experience (although he doesn’t use it) and is also a legit striker on his feet. I don’t know if Khabib could dominate on top like he does against everyone else. I am still rooting hard for Pico to progress, gain experience, and develop a jaw as on paper he has a large skill set and ability.

Unfortunately for Pico you dont develop a jaw. You either have one or you dont

 

[crablegs1]

In the UFC Embedded Vlog uploaded last night Cejudo said if he focused on wrestling he could make the Olympic team.

Now that Cejudo has retired from UFC, maybe he makes a run. I doubt it, but who knows. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the Iowa room sometime spending a week with Spencer.

If Cejudo had stuck with wrestling, he he’d be in the mix for the team this year, but is getting older. He was a special talent at a very young age. I don’t think there is any way, even with a year of dedicated training, that he could legitimately threaten to make the US 2021 team.

 

[Pakman770]

Got to give him credit, he usually accomplishes what he puts his mind to. Perhaps he goes to college and earns a degree.

 

[tiltman]

My guess is his “retirement” is simply a contract negotiation tactic. He was just saying a few weeks ago he wants to be the Michael Jordan of mma; he’s not there yet and like someone above said the kid is good at accomplishing his goals. So I don’t think he’s anywhere close to retired. I could be wrong though.

 

[redghost1974]

Why don't any of the fighters turn to reffing? Ego? Herb Dean and Big Dan made tons of money officiating I am sure. Much less headache than running a club/gym.

 

[witherman]

Why don't any of the fighters turn to reffing? Ego? Herb Dean and Big Dan made tons of money officiating I am sure. Much less headache than running a club/gym.

define tons of money? from what I can find herb dean and big john (not big dan) made around 400-500k/year.

an above average fighter (if they were smart about it) will make more than that off of endorsements post-career. plus add in all the other avenues that retired fighters can explore these days (podcasting, broadcasting, analyzing, etc.)

other factors to consider - bias (what camp were they a part of or still train at), "bad stoppages" (retired fighter would NEVER want to be criticized of an early stoppage), safety (UFC/Bellator may feel that a retired fighter will let things go on too long)

just guesses here but to me there's lots of reasons why a retired fighter would not want to go into reffing.

 

[GG121AND2]

Now that Cejudo has retired from UFC, maybe he makes a run. I doubt it, but who knows. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the Iowa room sometime spending a week with Spencer.

If Cejudo had stuck with wrestling, he he’d be in the mix for the team this year, but is getting older. He was a special talent at a very young age. I don’t think there is any way, even with a year of dedicated training, that he could legitimately threaten to make the US 2021 team.

Two words - Chris Campbell.

 

[1032004]

My guess is his “retirement” is simply a contract negotiation tactic. He was just saying a few weeks ago he wants to be the Michael Jordan of mma;

Well then I guess retiring and coming back would help accomplish that