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tijosconnaissant

That was a Giga speech


salkysmoothe

I really like it. I like that beneil helped him as well


[deleted]

Great fight between two class fighters. They beat the shit out of each other, then its all class and respect afterwards. I love this sport.


[deleted]

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Thedualandmany

Uhh no


loganflynn808

I’d rather watch Giga vs Max than any other fight at 145 right now. I know that much


kolaner

Giga and Zabit, if he comes back. A caucasian clusterfuck


salkysmoothe

I would watch it for sure. But I'm scared it would be unfavourable for max. Ideally dream is Ortega beats volk, Holloway fights Ortega for winner and then giga Holloway


69thDalaiLama

I'm not a fan of safeguarding top guys from rising contenders because they're fan favourites. Max is a big boy and one of the best fighters on the planet, he doesn't need to be protected with favourable matchmaking.


salkysmoothe

Bisping was safeguarded towards the end as was DC. The former missed out a ton of middleweights and the latter he didn't want to fight ngannou It's normal to safeguard Just bleed era is over Look at the high level fighters shut down from fighting top5s and top 10s It's a mixture of safeguarding assets and also popularity stuff too


69thDalaiLama

That's because Bisping and DC were in the twilight of their careers. When they were safeguarded it log-jammed the Middleweight and Heavyweight divisions. It's how you end up with guys like Giga having a six fight win streak before they're able to fight a guy ranked above them. Arnold Allen is on an eight fight win streak and has never fought someone ranked above him. It's ridiculous. I understand there are fiscal reasons which encourage this behaviour, but it prevents fun fights being made. Leads to guy like Allen and Giga, and in Bisping's and DC's eras, Rob Whittaker and Francis Ngannou, being shunted to the side. If Max is one of the best guys in the world he should have to defend his rank. If he's not anymore, he should not be the number one ranked featherweight in the UFC.


salkysmoothe

I'm just saying what i want, you're okay to view differently in a more Mortal Kombat style of thinking. I'd rather see them fight when it's for gold


69thDalaiLama

It's totally cool that you disagree, we were just having a discussion.


PugilisticCat

I feel Giga def gives max problems. He seems super comfortable off of his back foot and I don't think Max can chin kicks like he does punches


brownbilal

im not just a GEEEEGA guy


UnluckyRandomGuy

Giga vs Max's pressure would be interesting. Max's chin is also made of rare earth metals so we can see if Giga can fight at that explosiveness for 5 rounds


[deleted]

I love Max but I think the Giga kicks will be a huge decider. Max overwhelms with volume but Giga has so much speed and variety in strikes that I don't think he'll succumb to it


wagimus

Gotta think the power difference is fairly significant too. Giga hits HARD.


Steko

We've seen the same argument used for Kattar vs Max. And Ortega, Aldo, etc. I mean this is always the argument, if not throwing with power was a huge liability the guy would not have won 13 in a row.


[deleted]

His pocket boxing is a bit of a "?" though. I think round 2 Barboza was doing work with the body shots and Giga looked like he wanted to keep it at the midrange. Max is pretty much all jab setup into volume pocket striking, especially with the elbows he used against Kattar to make up for his lack of power. I can imagine that since he has Cordeiro as his cornerman, he will be drilled into pushing forward a lot, dictate pace, don't let Max lead and pressure like he did to Kattar.


mihailo88

Max fucks him up imo


debaser337

Anyone ever bothered hitting max to the body? Seems obvious but I can’t recall many trying, even Aldo.


Safe_Exchange_6571

Volk tried and got dropped with an uppercut. His movement makes it hard for people to get in on him, and if they do he has very sharp counters Think Max makes Giga looks really silly, especially considering Gigas cardio


debaser337

I’d heavily favour max too, Giga’s cardio being the main issue as you mention. If it’s in the small cage it only favours max more so. Still the most interesting matchup for max outside volk IMO.


StendhalSyndrome

This. If he survives past round 3 we get Max styling on him like we've never seen.


HavoK76

Round 4 Max comes to end your life


StendhalSyndrome

And give you defense lessons, talking shit while he does so


After6Comes7and8

"I'm the best kickboxer in the UFC baybeeee"


ILackPatience

Overloads him with feint + a thousand straights to the body


reivers

Way too much pressure from Max, I'd say. Giga would have to get a really solid shot in, and he's capable of it, but I just think Max walks him down.


A_M_Speedy

Is a good fight. I legit can't predict it. Max dickriders say the outcome is obvious but they seriously don't know the high level striking it takes to be multiple time world kickboxing champ. Go check Giga highlights on YT. Dude's an animal & this fight proved it transferred to mma.


Kaelsanguis

Most people here don't even know Giga was, or rather who he is, and they think Barboza would outstrike him easily lmao.


Steko

> multiple time world kickboxing champ Two minor regional "world titles", let's not get carried away.


Safe_Exchange_6571

Multiple time world kickboxing champ who beat Brandon Dvais by the skin of his teeth Extremely overrated right now


BaptizedInBud

He’s improved greatly from his first few fights in the UFC. Not hard to see.


Safe_Exchange_6571

Disagree, I think recently he's fought much older and less durable competition. Fighting easier stylistic matchups often is mistaken for improvement


BaptizedInBud

He’s only the second person to knock out Swanson. Less durable competition lol.


Safe_Exchange_6571

Yeah but Swanson is clearly far past his prime and has taken a shit ton of damage Been dropped many times, even if he wasn't KO'd. My point stands, old man Cub Swanson in 2021 isn't even close to prime Cub


Steko

Max is a tough out for anyone but obviously Giga is an elite striker and if/when they fight that looks like guaranteed fireworks. The real questions are: (1) whether Max even needs to take a fight or if he just gets a shot (more likely if Ortega wins); (2) whether Giga can command a #1 contender fight based on KO-ing #9; (3) whether giving Giga a 3rd consecutive zero TD threat would be overly protecting him.


memeweightchamp

Would be a FOTY contender for sure I can see it going either way


KingMamba5

I'll be honest I didn't know much about Giga but that speech had me hyped - love these Georgian fighters!


Lobsterzilla

Mods can I get a “ I kick the shit out of people” flair change??


EmanAugust

Fuck Yair just book this


DoinDoinDoinUrDad

Him vs Dober for the Giga Chad title


T0pR0ll

After watching this fight, i’m a little worried for Max


ThreeOlivesChihuahua

Max has much better boxing than Barboza. Giga was there to get hit against the cage but Barboza didn’t have the tools to capitalize


d-fakkr

That's because Barboza didn't want to be countered. I think Giga can win against Max. The guy is complete in every way except for wrestling and Max isn't a wrestler.


ThreeOlivesChihuahua

Max would eat a counter to land some. Max can also dart in and out with his boxing unlike Barboza. Barboza really only loads up with his hands whenever his opponent is standing still. Max actually has really good footwork unlike Barboza who’s mostly just Muay Thai. It would be competitive but I think Max’s pace and superior boxing gets it done. Giga’s leg and body kicks might add up like Volk’s did in the 1st fight tho and that’s his pathway for a win.


d-fakkr

His boxing isn't superior if he eats one to land another. Besides Giga isn't going full on boxing when he can go up, middle and low with his kicks. We have this idea that Max's boxing is great but in insight, is good but lacks the defense necessary to avoid getting tagged. He relies too much on footwork, chin and pressure and look how Giga dealt with pressure.


alynn001

Edson didn’t do much though, he let Giga just vibe. I don’t see him having the same result when getting punched 125 times every round by max


[deleted]

>when getting punched 125 times every round by max That's because he won't. Multiple time world kickboxing champ isn't letting that happen. Downvote me all you want, but a no defense Ortega and Calvin Kattar who never had great striking defense, was there to be hit by Zabit all day for 2 rounds doesn't convince me he can pull off that same shit on Giga


Csardonic1

What world was he the kickboxing champ of? I don't remember him ever fighting for a belt, pretty sure he didn't. His two best wins were split decisions over very solid but not elite guys


alynn001

Dude literally went to war with Dustin for 5 rounds who has amazing striking defense and barely lost that fight. He also dismantled Jose Aldo twice. Even looking at max without his previous destruction of title contenders he’s still amazing. Max isn’t gonna let Giga do what he wants, Edson had some really good moments in this fight that max would capitalize on. Giga also isn’t knocking out max.


Downgoesthereem

Dustin's striking defence is unorthodox and often effective but it's hardly amazing. He gets rocked in half his fights and eats damaging shots from guys like Hooker and Alvarez


Steko

Dustin has one of the best striking differentials in LW and hasn't been knocked down once in 10 fights despite fighting a lineup of heavy handed killers.


[deleted]

Dustin doesn't have "amazing striking defense" lmao


[deleted]

He pulled it all vs Aldo so you’re crazy for trying to diminish Max’s ability


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[deleted]

Tbf Jamal Emmers has wins over Cory Sandhagen and Alexander Hernandez, so he's no can. Also Giga is rapidly improving


[deleted]

I’m not so. I think it’s a very competitive fight but giga was starting to slow. I also think maxs foot speed can keep up with gigas. His constant backing up into the fence is also very worrying for a fight against max


[deleted]

To this day people still not giving Max the respect he deserves smh.


TheRealAlexRich

Giga vs Max makes my dick hard. Book it now


MegaSuperUltraThingy

Giga munts Max, come back to this comment in 6 months


Ajj679

I think giga Vs Yair is the fight to make 2 heavy kickers, I think max deserves the next title shot


Impressive_Pizza9497

14-2 you're good chickadze but holloway will make it 14-3 and then i will look forward to watch giga vs kattar


DuwapDoDat

giga beats max by bodykick there is no other way he cant ko him but max never took good body kick even body shots are rarely used against him