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My reaction to Conor vs Dustin 2.
A thread;
A thread;
Firstly, I’d like to say I am no MMA expert, just giving my opinion on all things involved with this fight, but here goes.
Round 1.
Conor seemed to open up on the offensive, with Dustin starting as twitchy as ever, but when Dustin was able to get hold of Conor it really set a tone that Dustin wasn’t going to be out of there in ‘60 seconds’ like Conor predicted, Dustin’s grappling whilst it
Conor seemed to open up on the offensive, with Dustin starting as twitchy as ever, but when Dustin was able to get hold of Conor it really set a tone that Dustin wasn’t going to be out of there in ‘60 seconds’ like Conor predicted, Dustin’s grappling whilst it
wasn’t necessarily offensive was huge in upsetting Conor’s rhythm & it stopped him from really finding a feel and his natural flow state we seem to get from a Conor fight, especially in the earlier rounds. When they separated Conor was able to find some success but it was
Not the typical Conor we usually see, but I believe that is down to Dustin making an impact from the jump and staying the course when Conor was throwing big shots. I believe Conor was definitely head hunting too much, trying to improve on that first fight he had with Dustin.
Hindsight is 20/20 but it was a shame to see Conor completely neglect his kicking game. I also was a huge fan of Dustin’s ability to slip shots rather than the usual covering up and returning we usually see from Poirier, another sign that shows his subtle improvements.
A critical part of Dustin’s game was the leg kicks of course, with Dustin being a southpaw the calf kick was much more available & effective than it would be of an orthodox fighter, Dustin disguised his leg kicks very well with his strikes so Conor couldn’t ever get a clear read.
Conor’s lead leg was there to be attacked as he was constantly over extending which is rare from Conor, especially with the reach advantage, It also was great for Dustin as he was able to land check hooks. Conor seemed to finish the round strong but the bout was in the balance.
Round 2.
This is where the puzzle came together pretty quickly for Dustin, the leg kicks became more available as Conor’s leg was beat up pretty bad already, and he was far more flat footed than usual, Dustin never looked overwhelmed in this fight no matter how many shots
This is where the puzzle came together pretty quickly for Dustin, the leg kicks became more available as Conor’s leg was beat up pretty bad already, and he was far more flat footed than usual, Dustin never looked overwhelmed in this fight no matter how many shots
Conor landed, which was interesting to me and I’m sure it was surprising for Conor too, as he was so easily put away at 145. After this it was just a battle of Conor throwing over extended straights and then being punished with leg kicks.
The finishing sequence was interesting as Conor never shown a real sense of urgency to get his back off the fence as Dustin circled out, at this point Dustin had his timing down to a tee and was able to start to pour it on. Dustin’s defensive boxing looked great fundamentally.
After this we know Dustin poured it on Conor and it was a matter of time before he was able to get the finish.
What I’ve noticed on twitter is a lot of motivation talk & lack of it for Conor, and talk on how flat footed he was. I feel as if Conor was as motivated as ever for this but ultimately it was the same Conor we see often, a fighter who relies heavy on his power and ‘Plan A’ who
Never seems to be able to deal with real adversity, it is an underlying factor that I don’t think he’ll ever get over.. we’ve seen it already, Opponent takes Conor’s best shots, Conor is unable to finish and then is susceptible to a flurry of strikes, with the leg kicks too
He was never able to use real movement to escape this flurry from Dustin so it was a matter of time. My main point here is that it was a technical issue for Conor, not just from a mental standpoint like people seem to suggest every time Conor loses.. mainly the casuals.
Conor can still be a player at lightweight but I think the top competition has caught up to him and there are limitations to his success, as for Dustin, the move to 155 was the healthiest & best move he’s ever made, I look forward to seeing how the title picture at LW plays out.
I was going to delve more into the events leading into the fight & each fighters mentality, but it seems way too long winded, maybe I’ll make a part two eventually, anyway thanks for reading.
