These are exciting times for MMA fans. UFC for 3 days straight from today culminating finally in Aldo vs McGregor which is preceded by the most versatile match ever in Weidman vs Rockhold and other excellent fights I’m super excited about. I think I haven’t been looking forward to MMA in a long time. Next week we’re gonna have Cerrone vs Dos Anjos, we’re gonna see how Rizin does it’s odd thing (with a former Estonian sumo-wrestler in it Kaido Höövelson aka Baruto) and from that on it’s hopefully Lawler vs Condit, Velasquez vs Werdum 2 and so forth and so on… oh boy.
I haven’t been writing analyses much… There’s multiple reasons for that – being a full time dad for 2 kids takes a lot of time besides lecturing and coaching and trying to train myself. Also the average level of popular articles on fights has gone way up and a lot of bloggers possess skill and other resources allowing them to add video material etc. So I’ve become more of a consumer and a practicioner (as a coach) and given up the armchair-analysist role 🙂
HOWEVER I can’t stay silent if I see something missing… And that’s the theme here. Also almost ON PURPOSE the post is gonna be all text 🙂 Use your imagination, like in the time of books, where moving GIFs were not invented and pictures were sparse.
So here it goes:
I really like Jack Slack’s material. If not all, then 95% of it! And he has done a splendid job of breaking down Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor thus far. Here is his final piece before the bout on Saturday and it is an excellent read:
http://fightland.vice.com/…/aldo-versus-mcgregor-a-clash-of…
However in my opinion it is missing a key detail. The best strategy to get an advantage over a mirrored (southpaw vs. orthodox) fighter (especially for a fighter who thinks he has the advantage in clinch / wrestling). And that strategy is …
… well I’ll begin from what Slack has already established: in “open guard” (southpaw vs. orthodox) stance an important tactic/angle/strike (these are somewhat inseparable here) is the rear straight and he praises McGregor for using it. Slack talks a bit about the lead hand in the Weidman vs Rockhold piece but let’s leave it at that for now. Slack acknowledges (as he’s done before) that what makes the rear straight work is the alignement of rear shoulder with the opponents centerline (nose/jaw/solar plexus). What he does not state in this piece but has said before is that this alignement is established by moving outside of the opponents lead hand/foot – key strategy in “open guard” (southpaw vs. orthodox) stance.
What is important is that this stance (like the traditional stance) is equally valid for both fighters. Only way a southpaw has an advantage over the orthodox fighter is via being more experienced and tactically sound in that position.
Therefore BOTH fighters can try to maneuver into the position Slack describes as advantageous. Forcing that angle while BOTH fighters want it is especially beneficial for a person with better clinch/wrestling (which I think Aldo thinks he is) and/or the shorter fighter (which Aldo is). Why? Because if one forces/presses with movement to get that angle one of three things happens:
1) You DO get the better angle and can work the rear straight yourself OR opt for the disturbing leadhand work (long hook a la Rockhold, or jab a la Nog vs. Evans)
2) Opponent is forced to back up (and reset and adjust the angle which makes him less dangerous and more predictable – for the rear high kick for example that Slack mentions)
3) Opponent accepts your pressure game and presses even more himself which even when he momentarily has a better angle to fire off shots leads to clinch or opens up opportunities for takedowns and what is a very good solution if you consider yourself the better wrestler and are prepared. 🙂
Of course I think McGregors clinch and takedown defense games are far better than Aldo (or the general public) think so while it seems a good strategy for Aldo, it might not help him but would be worth a try 🙂
That’s my 2 cents I had to get off my chest. All the best and enjoy the fights, I know I will.
War Conor and bring the belt to SBGi again!
MMA - how does it work? 