MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. This present day, we study at the fundamental tournament for UFC Battle Evening 191 .
UFC Battle Evening 191 takes say Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The cardboard streams on ESPN+.
Staple recordsdata:
- Top: 6’1? Age: 37 Weight: 185 lbs. Attain: 77?
- Final fight: Decision put off over Kevin Holland (March 20, 2021)
- Camp: Sanford MMA (Florida)
- Stance/inserting fashion: Southpaw/muay Thai
- Possibility management: Correct
Supplemental recordsdata:
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu dark belt
+ 3x Division 2 All-American wrestler
+ 13 KO victories
+ 3 submission wins
+ 14 first-spherical finishes
+ KO energy
+ Improved pacing and fundamentals
+ Unhealthy left kicks and crosses
+ Strong stress in opposition to the fence
^ Strikes nicely off of the breaks
+ Extra special wrestling ability
^ 94 percent takedown defense
+ Successfully-rounded takedown ability
+ Underrated grappling
^ Transitions and strikes nicely from topside
+/- 4-2 in opposition to UFC-stage southpaws
Staple recordsdata:
- Top: 6’0? Age: 28 Weight: 185 lbs. Attain: 74.5?
- Final fight: Decision loss to Robert Whittaker (July 25, 2020)
- Camp: Group Kaobon (England)
- Stance/inserting fashion: Southpaw/muay Thai
- Possibility management: Correct
Supplemental recordsdata:
+ K-1 European title
+ Luta Livre purple belt
+ Thai boxing experience
+ 10 KO victories
+ 2 submission wins
+ 5 first-spherical finishes
+ KO energy
+ Correct feints and footwork
^ Manages distance nicely
+ Suitable left hand
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Exhausting Thai kicks
+ Strong internal the clinch
^ Unhealthy elbows and knees
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Serviceable grappling expertise
+/- 2-0 in opposition to UFC-stage southpaws
The principle tournament in Las Vegas facets a fun meeting of middleweights whose southpaw sensibilities swing toward the muay Thai spectrum of inserting.
Embodying his contain model of the work of eight limbs, Till mixes in a special designate of southpaw bolt that’s reined in by head coach Colin Heron. No topic the bravado that the Englishman exudes, Till neatly works at the aid of subtle feints and solid footwork whereas increasing angles that enable him to capitalize on his opponent’s reactions.
A dinky an identical to a different nicely-known European southpaw, Till packs an impressive left erroneous that he creates openings for off of stress. The 28-year-historical additionally throws left Thai kicks that are inclined to waft off of his left-handed threats, but he would possibly perchance perchance perchance perchance procure better than he bargains for ought to he throw them nakedly (with out setup) in opposition to his most contemporary counterpart.
That stated, I attain suspect we can also proceed to mark more weapons and tactics delivered to the table by Till. Admittedly battling through injuries through the fundamental stretch of his UFC tenure, Till looked as if it would possibly perchance well probably perchance restrict himself to proper about a decision weapons.
In his defense, Till has tried to delivery up in additional most contemporary efforts, whether or not or not or not it’s by displaying strikes fancy oblique kicks or the occasional shift to orthodox in notify to open energy kicks from the opposite aspect. Despite the truth that both of those will support him nicely in idea, I will light be odd to mark how Till adapts in both the clinching and countering department.
Enter [autotag]Derek Brunson{/autotag].
From his time spent with Jackson Wink MMA to his specialty training with muay Thai memoir Manu Ntoh, Brunson has change into plenty better than proper an All-American wrestler who can throw his hands.
Whether Brunson is stalking opponents down with marching diversifications or his wander-steps into site, the 11-year skilled will keep himself in top say to land shots from the energy aspect of his southpaw stance. Having a knack for putting mighty kicks, Brunson additionally has improved his hands through the previous few years, being namely harmful when punching his manner in or out of the pocket.
On the opposite hand, despite Brunson’s previous enhancements, his brawling instincts hold proven to in most cases procure the greater of him, either costing him emphatic counters in defeat or lackluster affairs that hold resulted in end resolution losses.
Since struggling his final defeat at the hands of now-champion Israel Adesanya, Brunson finally has gotten himself aid under the care of a colossal camp, hooking up with Henri Hooft and company at Sanford MMA. In the following time, now we hold viewed Brunson articulate one a ways more measured and balanced manner to his stress en path to his most contemporary victories, displaying the ability to fight at a decent slide for 3 or more rounds.
Despite the truth that I’m certain that hold likely will support Brunson nicely on paper, I believe that he’ll resolve on to successfully layer his threats with offensive wrestling if he draw to wisely procure his sport going.
Fascinated with the on-paper grappling and experience edge, I will most likely be odd to mark if Brunson looks to study his English counterpart early with takedown threats.
No topic getting a lower takedown percentage than one can also ask of, Brunson does a deceptively correct job of the usage of his initial shot to power his opponents to the fence, chaining off his attacks from there. Whether he’s hitting reactionary double-legs or snatching up singles, the inclined All-American wrestler wields a serviceable and diverse takedown sport that will pay serious dividends from a stylistic standpoint.
On the opposite hand, in case you deem about that an infinite fragment of Brunson’s takedowns are done from chaining to or from the body lock, then the American would possibly perchance perchance perchance perchance be in for a surprise when he ties up with Till.
As we saw in Till’s fight with Kelvin Gastelum, the English fighter became as soon as in a say to neatly design the quite a bit of the clinch to end down inserting and design obvious the grappling became as soon as going down on his phrases. Likely a credit score to his time training muay Thai, Till displays solid balance and posture in end quarters as he in overall looks the land elbows off of the wreck.
Despite the truth that Till has shown solid (and I dare bid underrated) takedown defense in the course of his time in the octagon, he’ll light resolve on to mind the elbows and knees coming aid at him, as Brunson is largely not previous the usage of the same weapons. But if Brunson is in a say to procure this fight to the ground, then Till’s urgency will resolve on to be on point in regards to his counter-grappling sport.
Coming from a Luta Livre background (a grappling fashion more synonymous with consume wrestling than Brazilian jiu-jitsu), Till demonstrates dazzling positional awareness and disciplined hand-battling, a manner that helps him defend takedowns, as nicely as permits him to unleash unforgiving elbows when topside.
From the underside, Till on the complete displays decent craft and composure when keep on his aid, and ought to on the complete not stick around too long to mark how things play out (exterior of his fight with Tyron Woodley, in spite of all the pieces). As a replace, Till will in overall elect to turtle out to his defective and work to stand from there.
The functionality insist, nonetheless, is that if Till goes that route in scrambling eventualities, he does possibility giving his aid in transit – one thing that his opponent is not scared about abusing.
Brunson can also not hold a “sport over” kind of ground sport, but he can transition nicely with negative strikes from topside and performs positions when he wants to. Brunson has additionally earned his Brazilian jiu-jitsu dark belt since we’ve viewed him final, so don’t be shocked if he tries to strategically gift that off this Saturday.
The oddsmakers and public are favoring the youthful fighter, itemizing Till -188 and Brunson +152 as of this writing.
England’s propensity to aid their warring parties at the betting window apart, I’m not essentially shocked to mark Till installed as the probabilities-on favourite heading into fight evening.
Now not handiest is the English fighter extremely talented and at possibility of improvement at his age, but Till additionally carries somewhat quite quite a bit of the instruments that hold historically shy Brunson, whether or not or not or not it’s counter-clinching tactics or straight shots down the centerline. Till additionally looks to delivery up just a dinky more when posed with a fellow southpaw threat, namely in relation to focusing on the legs.
Add in the truth that stamina (in both victory and defeat) doesn’t seem like a controversy for Till, and none of us ought to be shocked if the 28-year-historical is in a say to attain a leisurely stoppage ought to he fail to get a enact in the fundamental. Even with Brunson’s improved pacing, he light shows to slack by the middle of spherical three – even when he’s in a say to procure his wrestling going.
Nonetheless, I finally hold a laborious time ignoring the x-components of this card being shifted from England to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Now not handiest will warring parties fancy Till hold added obstacles to conquer concerning the stresses of their dash instances and weight cuts, however the battling ambiance additionally adjustments given the restricted exact property in the Apex’s smaller octagon. So, another time, I get myself leaning toward the greater wrestler in the small cage.
Now not handiest does Brunson attain his easiest inserting and grappling alongside the fence, but he’s additionally preparing with a camp in Sanford MMA that historically does nicely in relation to both preparing and beating southpaw warring parties (likely due to the their broad form of lefty looks in the gym). Despite the truth that I could perchance perchance perchance perchance explore this fight going long and getting sketchy in the draw, I’ll formally aspect with Brunson to successfully cook his consume by spherical three en path to reminding the plenty as to who deserves the contender discuss.
