Welcome to Weekly Takedowns. sports illustratedA detailed consideration of MMA. Each week, this column provides insight and information on the most notable stories in the martial arts world.
Tony Ferguson went viral, but for all the wrong reasons.
Ferguson received a front kick from Michael Chandler at UFC 274 in May. It was a ferocious shoot. Ferguson was knocked out, giving new life to Chandler’s UFC run after a losing streak.
“Instantly, I knew I couldn’t stick with it,” says Ferguson. “Do–it happens. You take a loss, learn from the up, f— take a backup, and do it all over again.”
Chandler did a backflip to celebrate his victory at UFC 274 and Ferguson was knocked out cold.
Mark J. Levilas/USA TODAY Sports
A forgotten element of that fight is that Ferguson took it to Chandler in the first round, damaging his right eye. fought a competitive round.
And then the second round started. Just then, Chandler nearly blows Ferguson’s head off with the sole of his foot.
“I got into the fight with Chandler because I knew I had to check all of his kicks,” says Ferguson. “That meant doing damage to his shins like he did. [Justin] Gaethje fights, and cuts him off like Pitbull Patrício with his right hand and left hand. Coming into the corner, you probably thought, “F—, my shin hurts.” The only thing that didn’t hurt was the bottom of his foot.
“Unfortunately, I was going for an outside sweep single.
Ferguson (25–7) will return to the Octagon for UFC 279 this Saturday as he looks to write a new chapter in his legendary career. He was once one of the most feared fighters in the world, and although Khabib was thought to be destined to beat Nurmagomedov in the end, Ferguson is now on a four-game losing streak. His opponent, his 279 he Li Jingliang, is not quite elite, but a solid welterweight. Ferguson’s defeat of Jinliang (19–7) would help restore his place in the UFC.
“Don’t worry. I’ve earned my place and I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. I’m out there to win.
Since May, Ferguson has had to deal with a loss to Chandler. The next day after suffering his knockout was particularly unpleasant, faced with the thought that all his work had not been done.
Every fighter has a different routine the day after a fight, much of which depends on the nature of the fight. .
“It’s the mental part for me that I focused on day after day,” says Ferguson. “People never understand how I felt the next day, the month after. It all goes back to my upbringing. It’s been — around.The mental part of that for me is not going nowhere.It’s strong.It’s the energy I use to get where I need to go.”
fight fallout
After the game, Adesanya’s only concern is to lean back and block out the outside world.
Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports
The day after a fight isn’t necessarily a negative experience or an intense mental battle. At least, if you are Adesanya of Israel.
Adesanya enjoys those 24 hours. For the reigning middleweight champion, the overwhelming majority at the time was following victory. After all the stress of fighting, Adesanya is enjoying the rest of her stress-free time.
“That’s when I relax,” says Adesanya (23–1). “You hear about your performance from all kinds of people.
Adesanya’s only MMA loss came in March 2021 when she was promoted to light heavyweight for a title fight against Jan Blachovic. It wasn’t a very spectacular match. Blachowicz used his size to pin Adesanya to the mat.
“I am a fighter, but I am also human,” says Adesanya. “That’s something I should experience and learn as a person.”
Following the loss, Adesanya stole three straight wins, defeating both Marvin Vettori and Robert Whittaker for the second time, and also Jared Canonnier, all by unanimous decision. He is currently undefeated in the UFC and gearing up for a whole new challenge against Alex Pereira, who beat Adesanya twice in kickboxing.
That fight will headline UFC 281 in November at New York’s famous Madison Square Garden. His focus is on preparing Pereira, but finding a way to beat his longtime foe quickly shifts the eclectic range of New York City cuisine to the forefront of his mind.
“I love to eat,” says Adesanya. “That’s what I like to do the day after a fight. It’s also a chance to get in touch with the culture of the city. I remember how excited I was to try the food in Houston.” [after the last Whittaker fight]Then I chill. I regret. I’m very busy, so I spend a lot of time alone, and I want to eat a lot of delicious food. ”
Speaking of MSG, last November saw Justin Gaethje’s memorable match at the world’s most famous arena in New York.
Gaethje traded blows with Michael Chandler in the opening match of UFC 268. Gaethje landed a stabbing spearing his strike and Chandler vomited blood during the match. Chandler managed to finish the fight, but it was Gaethje who emerged victorious by unanimous decision.
“That game in New York ended around eleven o’clock. [p.m.] It was around 1am when we got back to the hotel at night,” says Gaethje (23–4). “For me, at that point, it was all about enjoying the moment. It’s a 12-week job. My family was proud. I tried my best.”
Gage flew home and arrived at his home a few hours later to enjoy the next morning in his comfy bed. His pain eased slightly each time he looked back on MSG’s victory. Everything seems to have worked except for one issue.
“I can’t sleep when I win,” Gage says. “I couldn’t sleep for two days after that match.
Naturally, a win helps turn the day after a fight into a much more enjoyable experience, and that was exactly the case for Gaethje, who emerged victorious in 268.
“When I lost the second battle [Dustin] Poirier, it took me a while to find peace knowing that everything would be fine,” says Gaethje. “After the Chandler fight, I had that peace.”
Finding inner peace seemed like an impossible task for Cyril Gane, who lost his first MMA bout and heavyweight title in January. I hadn’t tasted defeat in the Octagon until now.
“It was very sad,” said Gane (11-1), who returned to action last weekend with an unusual victory over Thai Tuibasa. “It reminded me of when I played in a football competition. Those losses would sting.
Center fielder Gane won countless wins with his teammates. But he remembers the loss much more accurately.
“Losing Francis was like losing the final of a football tournament,” says Guane. “I remember crying with my teammates on the bus. [after losing to Ngannou].
“For the next whole day, I thought, ‘I was so close.’ What if I did this? What if I did that? And played it over and over. It was a very difficult day.” .”
pick up pieces
Anderston needed time to adjust to the ups and downs of Fight Night after failing to make a decision in April.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
The lack of clarity also makes the day after the fight very difficult to process.
All but three seconds out of the first three rounds, Anderson completely dominated Vadim Nemkov in a light heavyweight world title fight at Bellator 277. Seconds away from winning the Bellator light heavyweight belt and his $1 million Grand Prix prize, Anderson wrote a new chapter in his legacy after manipulating Nemkov, who entered the bout on a nine-game winning streak. I was trying to add
“I know I’m the best 205[-pound] He’s a world-class fighter,” says Anderson. “But what surprised me was that he was so behind. I thought he was stronger and faster. He didn’t have the answers he thought he would.”
The referee stopped the fight when Anderson continued to pummel Nemkov on the mat.
“It was crazy,” Anderson said, expressing a sense of euphoria. “I was told I won. It’s a million dollars. That’s the title. It was an incredible feeling.”
The celebration was short. The match was stopped with three seconds remaining as Nemkov burst above his eye due to an accidental head clash. The fight did not reach the end of the third round, so no contest took place.
“30 seconds after I was told I won, I was told I didn’t win,” says Anderson. “No Title, No Million Dollars”
Anderson (16-5, 1 NC State) will have a rematch with Nemkov for the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix at Bellator 288 this November. Last fight.
“It took me a while to recover from it, especially the next day,” says Anderson. “It didn’t help that he had a week of phone calls explaining what had happened. But I recovered in the best way possible. Spending time with my family. I focused on them.” was combined.
“I gave up. Now I’m working on the next one.”
As soon as that fight ended in April, there was talk of a rematch.Anderson is ready to fight the next day and that willingness is his motivation for this title fight.
“From day one, it’s easy to stay hungry,” says Anderson. “He’s still the champion. I have a no contest from that fight. I have to do everything I can to make sure the next result is not lost. If I win, my next day is It will be much better.”
The day after the battle is much more peaceful following the victory. But the correct formula can lead to redemption in the cage. For Ferguson, he’s looking to rebound in the most important way possible after a disastrous loss to Chandler.
“If I’m winning, it means I’ve put in work during camp,” Ferguson says. “That’s what I did. I was nothing half-hearted.
“Everybody wants to be a GOAT. But they come and go. I’m a boat, the best ever. And the boat floats.”
Pick ‘Em section:
UFC 279 Welterweight Fight: Nate Diaz vs. Kamzat Chimaev
Choose: Kamzat Chimayev
UFC 279 Welterweight Fight: Tony Ferguson vs. Li Jingliang
Choose: Tony Ferguson
UFC 279 Catchweight (180 lb) Match: Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Choose: Kevin Holland
UFC 279 Women’s Bantamweight Match: Irene Aldana vs. Macy Chiasson
Choose: Eileen Aldana
UFC 279 Light Heavyweight Match: Johnnie Walker vs. Ion Cutolava
Choose: johnnie walker
Last week: 4–1
2022 record: 100–59
Other MMA Coverage:
.
Comments
Post a Comment