Hard to say, Ngannou is always going to be terrifying in the first round, or maybe two. I think personally he adrenaline dumped in round one, so he got more tired more quickly than he normally would. Basically excitement of the event got to him. It's not unheard of, but it usually happens in a guys first fight in the big show, not in a championship fight. However, if Ngannou doesn't get him out, he's always gonna be in trouble in a 5 rounded. Too much mass to move around.
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He has to lose weight. Fighting at 265 is not going to work against crafty opponents like Miocic and Cain, both who have great cardio. They will simply let him gas in the first then go to town on him the rest of the way. But if Francis ups his cardio to where he can last 2 or 3 rounds at a high level, then that's a game changer.
Maybe, but he might be changing the recipe of what got him where he is too much. He's never been technical, he's just beasted the feck out of guys by being a dude who looks to actually cut weight to make 265.
Ngannou at 245 might have the gas tank, but then as Vato said, he has no ground game, and then not having a ground game matters!
Dana mentioned a possible DC v Miocic fight.
This on the heels of them trying to set up a Jones - Miocic fight last year.
They must really be starving for talent to try this sort of thing.
This on the heels of them trying to set up a Jones - Miocic fight last year.
They must really be starving for talent to try this sort of thing.
I'm just catching up (just finished watching the fight). I said before it, It's huge kudos for Stipe to go in there and win - I think this is monumental win for him.
However, the caveat is Ngannou's adrenalin dump in the first round completely equalised the fight and from there, Stipe could utilise a strategy that I don't believe would be available should they rematch.
I've not caught up on the thread, I'm sure the running commentary will be that Ngannou simply gassed for being the size he is, but I don't think that's true - his inexperience caused that draining of the tank, not his size. Even then, he still caught Stipe with some shots that would have dropped a lesser man. Miocic's chin is something else.
Anyway, I wrote a lot before the fight favouring Ngannou, and I'm happy to eat humble pie on the outcome, but, and there is a but here, catching Ngannou on the way up in his development was important, imo. The adrenalin dump doesn't happen if Ngannou's not so wet behind the ears.
Stipe's heart and gameness is unquestionable, though. It's not his problem that Ngannou had whatever issues he did, and he was smart enough to pile on top of them, which shows his fight intelligence.
A boring fight, but delighted for Stipe. Fantastic personality (seeing a humble champion is refreshing in this sport) and a great fighter. With each fight, he also shows more maturity and the ability to pick weak spots of his opponent taking advantage in the end. The fight went exactly how he planned imho.
I'm just bustin' your balls. It was a great performance from Stipe. There's really nowhere left for him to go at this point other than maybe fighting Cain or Werdum. Since Cain has been out this long I don't think he should get an immediate title shot. That would actually be a great fight for Ngannou next since Cain is known for his cardio.
I'd favor DC over Stipe.
DC is just too good, but, as they say, father time is undefeated, and DC is almost looking at the wrong side of 40. He should push for Stipe, say around June/May since the two number 1 contenders at HW and LHW are both coming off injuries, there is time.
DC is just too good, but, as they say, father time is undefeated, and DC is almost looking at the wrong side of 40. He should push for Stipe, say around June/May since the two number 1 contenders at HW and LHW are both coming off injuries, there is time.
It's fine
I put my neck on the line and deserve a few green smilies for it. Was an interesting fight to watch and Stipe is doing the ridiculous taking on guys this size - did you see his face and the way he was talking in the post-fight interview? And that's without being hit flush with anything. Scary.Stipe has called for a 225lb weight division, and I really do believe it's needed. At least then, those inbetweeners get to choose whether they want to risk everything on such high stakes combat or have a more measured approach to fighting like we see in the other divisions.
Stipe fights with such a high risk strategy in this weight class that he's nearly always a whisker from losing it all, I guess that's why he appears more contestable than the dominant champs of the other divisions and is yet another reason a 225lb class would be great for fellas like him.
The HW division is going to go back to being one people aren't much interested in now that Ngannou's run has ended. Stipe has nothing left to prove now, really, as Cain's body is too unreliable to call for him to get a title shot, and even if he got one, who knows whether he'd do himself justice if his body only allows him to fight at a certain percent.
I should imagine Stipe gets a well-earned break now and the rest will have to sort amongst themselves who next gets a title shot. Ngannou, Cain, Werdum, Overeem etc. are going to be paired together at least a couple of times before there's another title bout, I think.
At what weight?
Yay Stipe.
My wife doesn't watch UFC but was reading a book whilst I was watching the fight. Soon as she heard Stipe is a firefighter, she was completely invested, desperate for him to win. Crazy how the UFC promotional team can't make him a bigger star.
The boring main and co-main mean it was a great night for Bellator.
The boring main and co-main mean it was a great night for Bellator.
People think Dana went home and cried his eyes out? Can’t spin Ngannou as the next Mike Tyson and make them dolla bills. Sure Ngannou will be back, been in that situation before where you just have a adrenaline dump and there is nothing you can do your body just won’t respond. You can see punches coming, you can see openings but you ask your arms to move and they just don’t respond.
He did seem to gas very earlyeven for a guy that big, so I’d go with adrenaline dump was the first issue and by the end of the 2nd he was just fooked. Stipe did his thing and hats off to him, wonder who will be next.
Remember when everyone used to booo DC and now the whole stadium was chanting for him. That last fight with Jones totally changed opinion on him I feel. I’ve always found him funny outside the ring but never really appreciated him as a fighter as much as I should of till that 2nd loss. Because even losing that was a hell of a performance,
He did seem to gas very earlyeven for a guy that big, so I’d go with adrenaline dump was the first issue and by the end of the 2nd he was just fooked. Stipe did his thing and hats off to him, wonder who will be next.
Remember when everyone used to booo DC and now the whole stadium was chanting for him. That last fight with Jones totally changed opinion on him I feel. I’ve always found him funny outside the ring but never really appreciated him as a fighter as much as I should of till that 2nd loss. Because even losing that was a hell of a performance,
That type of thing doesn't sell, I guess. Which is pretty stupid if you ask me, but that's the way it is. I think Dana was pretty disappointed after last night. Ngannou was the one with far greater marketing potential.
Not that I care, pleased that Stipe won.
Ngannou looked like I suspected. A big punch but not much else.
I loved seeing Stipe take the belt off Dana and allowing one of his corner men put it around his waist. A great feck you to Dana that was.
Yeah, thought that was class too. Nice, polite feck you as you say.
That was a weird fight, Ngannou looked like an imposter of his former appearances. I assume the occasion and lack of "big fight" experience really took it's toll.
Stipe did a good job to pressure him early, but the snap and speed in his arms just wasn't there, even grappling he looked weaker than usual, Stipe shouldn't have been able to hold him onto the cage.
It just shows the importance of cardio, if you have no breathe it doesn't matter how big or powerful you are, you just can't use it.
I have no doubts though this will be a huge experience for Ngannou, he will come back better for this. I still think he's a future title holder, the power is there for all to see, he just needs to work on everything else.
Congraulations Stipe, many people slept on him.
DC is the man!
Stipe did a good job to pressure him early, but the snap and speed in his arms just wasn't there, even grappling he looked weaker than usual, Stipe shouldn't have been able to hold him onto the cage.
It just shows the importance of cardio, if you have no breathe it doesn't matter how big or powerful you are, you just can't use it.
I have no doubts though this will be a huge experience for Ngannou, he will come back better for this. I still think he's a future title holder, the power is there for all to see, he just needs to work on everything else.
Congraulations Stipe, many people slept on him.
DC is the man!
OMG, hat off to Stipe.
Cant believe I stayed up still 7am to watch that shite
Embarrassing conditioning from Ngannou
Never seen anything like it. After 5mins work to be completely gassed and to have so little energy and movement - even in the standup
Appalling from him and his team. Needs to do as @Raoul says, go away and lose 20-30lbs of muscle and massively improve his conditioning - oh and learn a ground game. He’ll still have frightening power but will be able to have a second string to his bow
Never seen anything like it. After 5mins work to be completely gassed and to have so little energy and movement - even in the standup
Appalling from him and his team. Needs to do as @Raoul says, go away and lose 20-30lbs of muscle and massively improve his conditioning - oh and learn a ground game. He’ll still have frightening power but will be able to have a second string to his bow
It was a pretty crappy card until the last fight. I get the impression the UFC are having a hard time finding enough compelling talent these days.
He just doesn't have a controversial demeanor and has zero of the WWE that Conor has in him. All he does is win though, so as long as that's the case he should be ok.
Regarding the adrenaline dump as you put it didn’t you claim before the fight cardio etc wouldn’t be an issue? I don’t really think you can say what you said before the fight...how he’s an unstoppable monster etc then after it tell us about adrenaline dump and inexperience of the fighter. For what you said before there should no excuses for him, just Stipe is better.
Glad Stipe won, I don’t have a problem with Ngannou but the whole build up was massively disrespectful. Was great to see him take the belt off Dana and let his coach put it on him as well.
Power can be king in certain one off situations if the opponent isn’t intelligent and has no tactical plan to evade and mitigate the initial surge of power punches. (See - Carwin v Mir). Stipe however seems to have another level of fighter in him from the past HWs. He’s intelligent, has a plan, has good cardio, is opportunistic, sufficiently evasive when needed, has excellent strike timing to offset not having Ngannou/Hunt type punching power, and most importantly he’s very balanced between stand up and ground game. He has all the tools to be one of all time greats.
That’s a separate issue tho, and not one I think you can prepare for. Guess just experience is how you deal with it. I’ve had it happen and it’s god damn horrible.
Never seen anyone so exhausted, fair credit to Ngannou though, he's a tough guy and only been in the sport for 5 years. He can only get better from here on out.It never happened to him before. Funny how it happens when he loses. It sounds like an excuse.
I’d probably agree but then I thought Stipe would win before hand.
What I’m trying to say is that if you talk up a fighter before as untouchable. He had no issues (cardio was apparently great, power is incredible etc) you can’t go back after the fight and then basically contradict the pre fight stuff and say it’s inexperience etc. in all honesty the guy just isn’t at the level of a top MMA fighter and he is hugely one dimensional.
Someone here was saying that proof of Francis cardio was a long haul fight he had against some beast in another organisation... UFC is a whole nother level baby!
I feel so happy Stipe won. Nothing against Ngannou but it was pathetic how blatantly Dana wanted him to win.
I feel so happy Stipe won. Nothing against Ngannou but it was pathetic how blatantly Dana wanted him to win.
Gassing through natural means comes from a fighter not being fit enough for the fight at hand, adrenaline dumps are not the same and are a complete X-factor variable a fighter cannot prepare for in the gym.
I didn't expect Ngannou to be so tense, but the pressure clearly got to him and it cost him a lot in terms of his own energy management regardless of what Stipe was doing. Stipe was savvy enough to exploit it, like a proper pro would, and that's an equaliser I wouldn't have factored into the fight.
Personally, it'd be disingenuous to not factor in the aforementioned because it took the fight down a different path - that's not Stipe's concern - not at all, but I couldn't sit here and say it's not an issue.
By the time Ngannou is rounded in terms of experience of title pressure/environment and is given another title shot, Miocic may well not be the same fighter, or even the champion (for a myriad of reasons) so this is likely to be a one-off that there can be no dispute in it going to the champion.
I'd love for them to do it again ASAP, but there's no reason for that to happen as the loss has to put Ngannou back into the chasing pack as well as Stipe having no reason to take the fight after proving people wrong the first time out.
Personally when it’s happened to me I’ve always shook it off in like 10 minutes or so but by that time I’m guessing Ngannou was already screwed because Stipe had already been wearing on him so it is hard to say he just has no cardio. We’d really need to see this happen again see what happens when he goes deep.
I do totally agree, his skill level got exposed drastically but again that could have been due to the exhaustion or adrenaline dump. I think it’s more like his team just focused on what brought him this far and he isn’t as skilled as he should be, he’s probably just always relied on his power for everything.
What we did learn about Ngannou is that he can take an absolute beating and take a punch.
It was a pretty clear formula. Fighters who carry around that much muscle mass and step into the Octagon at about 270-275 after rehydrating are just not going to have the cardio to perform at a high level throughout a 5 round fight, especially against a lighter champion with significantly better cardio, tactics, and ground game.
Ngannou was able to paper over the cracks in his game by just bulldozing his opponents early in the first round and so we never got to see how he would fare in a proper 5 round fight. Now we know.
He needs to lose weight, up his cardio, and improve his ground game if he wants to be champ.
He’s never been in as big a fight, it’s effectivly a mental issue, not controlling emotions. It was fairly obvious within about 2mins of the first round. Because even for his size he’d have to have the worst cardio ever or the flu to gas that quickly.
Stipe did an absolute job on him and was picking shots earlier on, no one can dispute that Stipe outclassed him. It just kinda sucks that that happened to Ngannou, doesn’t mean if it didn’t the result wouldn’t have been any different it’s just we all want to see people at their best.
I fell asleep and woke up during the 4th round to find N'gannou moving very slowwwly , statuesque. I thought there was a problem with my internet connection.
Thought it was a pretty shite card overall.l tbh
How unlikable is Tony Ferguson? Seriously the sun glasses, his attitude he looks like an absolute bellend, calling people casuals, no wonder he doesn’t get as much love as others.
You don’t have to be Connor McGregor just be a decent person and people will want to see you fight.
You don’t have to be Connor McGregor just be a decent person and people will want to see you fight.
He was like that after the 2nd round. He gassed himself out with haymakers early in the first round (first minute infact) then Stipe began chipping away and eventually sat on him for much of the rest of the fight.