UFC 146: Junior Dos Santos's Reaction to a New Opponent - YouTube

 

Nate Diaz Faces Off Against Jim Miller - YouTube

 

Brimage and Blanco Tumble at UFC 145 - YouTube

 

So damned frustrated that Rashad's team didn't come with a strategic gameplan. That was a career defining opportunity---lost. Rashad's coach is no Greg Jackson (nobody is), but what--the--f**ck WAS THE PLAN.

If Jones wasn't tentative and too concerned about making mistakes, he'd have put Rashad to sleep in the 2nd, 3rd, etc...

Rashad needed to combo up and attack, commit early and try for an explosive finish in the first or second. Anything beyond those rounds stacked the odds against him.

Both he and Hominick frustrated the piss out of me last night. When you close the distance, you attack, don't just make single contact and then give your opponent a breathing opportunity.

Rashad could've beaten Jones. Machida could've beaten Jones. Both needed to come with early, overwhelming, multi-faceted attacks strategically set up and committed completely to. You don't beat a superior opponent with defense, one-shots, or long-drawn out exchanges giving your opponent time to see patters in your footwork and setups.

Jeez, read, study, watch, review, analyze. The coaches need to realize strategy is the single most important determinant in dominance in this complex sport. It's not just conditioning and technique. GSP hits it all, that's why he's the best. Silva second. Everyone else falls in behind them. Jones is going to be turned into a great strategic fighter by Jackson, and there is no way anyone will beat him without smart strategy.

 

It was the most boring headliner since Mir vs Crop Cop...at least that one got finished at the end...

 

Wanderlei Silva UFC 147 Video Series #1 Training at Wand Fight Team - YouTube

 

You thought it was boring? I watched it twice, once last night drinking and once this morning sober. Liked it both times.

FWIW I think that Rashad prepared for a looser, less disciplined Jones, that's why he was initially playing the wait and counter game. He wasn't counting on Jones improving and becoming more strategic like Super D mentioned above. But even that seems flawed because a counter game against someone with the range and creative offense of the less disciplined Jones is asking to get picked apart or have a big shot landed.

Armchair quarterbacking is easy, but Rashad is very mobile and quick. I would have had him initially engage, body, leg kick, retreat. After a few leg kicks and Jones getting used to the disengage, switch it up and instead of backing out go for the clinch/takedown. More risky? Maybe it sounds like it, but is it really as risky as standing outside with a fast puncher that has arms ten inches longer than yours?

 

Maybe by boring it was my frustration at Rashad not gettin it done...when clearly he wasnt gettin beat THAT bad and coulda done SOMETHING...

 

Dana White: UFC 145 Post-Fight Q&A (complete + unedited) - YouTube

 

I think that is risky, yes. The longer Jones looks at you, the more he knows how to set you up. Getting inside the long tools is absolutely critical. Rashad's only chance was to forcefully get inside, use his great hand speed and power striking to stun Jon, take him down and finish him with GnP. Almost nobody is as fast and powerful with the hands as Rashad. They are both talented grapplers, and I'd actually give a slight edge to Rashad there, but he'd have to shake Jon up to execute on the ground, and the only way to do that is with the hands. Jon's too far away to land with power from outside. He kept dropping his left low; Rashad needed to recognize that, come with an overhand right, uppercut up the middle with the left inside the loose arms, take one leg, control the head and drop him, and quickly go for an explosive GnP finish. Jon has patterns of movement. You can see his kick setups, flying knees and elbows beforehand. Watch his stances and switches.

Instead of setting up attacks, Rashad just fell into Jons pattern and had to defend against what were really predictable strikes sent from the next city block.

Somebody has to come at Jon with damned strategy and have multiple offensive attack plans. I'm tired of seeing guys overly cautious of Jon's range and moves. Get someone at LHW who fights like Pettis did with Ben Henderson when they first met, or like Faber did when he fought Curran. LHW needs strategy, speed, creativity, balls. Everyone seems to be afraid of Jon. That's warranted, he's a phenom. But he can be beaten. It'll have to be a smart coach that makes it happen. This is a coaching war.

If Jon wasn't so tentative last night. Rashad would've been dropped badly, and deservedly so. Rashad fought with heart. Defensively. He needed to fight with brains.