Future Champs predictions

[Luke]

I'd post my picks by 2017, but it would just mirror Erie's

[SPX]

He does not match up well vs grapplers and most think the top 2 in that divsion are RDA and Khabib, grapplers

Are Bendo and Melendez not grapplers?

[Luke]

Are Bendo and Melendez not grapplers?

Not really. Both of them rely on the striking first.

RDA and Khabib rely on there grappling first. The only other person Pettis has fought recently that is a grapple first fighter is Guida, and he lost to him too

[Éire]

Are Bendo and Melendez not grapplers?

They are but not even remotely near the skill level of Khabib. I actually had no idea how good RDA's grappling was until his last fight but I guess he's up there which is really saying something about Khabib since he literally threw him wherever he wanted to. That said, Pettis does have a shot of catching Khabib with a sub or a shot before Khabib grabs him. I just think it's extremely unlikely.

[Ludo]

They are but not even remotely near the skill level of Khabib. I actually had no idea how good RDA's grappling was until his last fight but I guess he's up there which is really saying something about Khabib since he literally threw him wherever he wanted to. That said, Pettis does have a shot of catching Khabib with a sub or a shot before Khabib grabs him. I just think it's extremely unlikely.

I wouldn't call Khabib elite, really. He has great strength and whatnot, and he closes the distance well enough. But his top game is shit.

[Éire]

I wouldn't call Khabib elite, really. He has great strength and whatnot, and he closes the distance well enough. But his top game is shit.

While you're right that his top game isn't the best, once he has a hold of you, it isn't easy to stop him from doing whatever he wants to you.

[IXIThe Notorious1IXI]

by the end of 2015

Cain
Cormier
Rockhold
Condit
RDA
McGregor
Dodson
Cruz

Ronda
JJ

[SPX]

^^^ Welcome, bro. Good to see you over here!

Interesting list, especially since you're saying 2015. You really think Cruz will make it back in time? What's your breakdown of MM/Dodson?

[Ludo]

While you're right that his top game isn't the best, once he has a hold of you, it isn't easy to stop him from doing whatever he wants to you.

True enough. I just think to be considered "elite" you need to either be able to finish people, threaten to finish people, or at the very least keep them from doing what they want to do(which in most cases is get back to their feet). There's a reason Khabib had to take Trujillo down like 27 times in a 3 round fight.

[Ludo]

Ludo, you forgot HW

Werdum. I just think he's the worst matchup possible for Cain. Elite grappler from the top or bottom, vastly improved striking, and a clinch game that keeps Cain from employing the "JDS strategy".

[Luke]

Werdum. I just think he's the worst matchup possible for Cain. Elite grappler from the top or bottom, vastly improved striking, and a clinch game that keeps Cain from employing the "JDS strategy".

Before the first fight, I didn't realize Cain was so scared to go into his guard. Assumed he'd GnP for a couple rounds, tire him, then TKO him. Wrong, wrong, and Wong

[Ludo]

Before the first fight, I didn't realize Cain was so scared to go into his guard. Assumed he'd GnP for a couple rounds, tire him, then TKO him. Wrong, wrong, and Wong

Cain knows what's up. I don't think he was wary of it initially. He did take Werdum down in the first round, and even ended up in side control. But he figured out within 10 seconds that he wasn't going to be able to keep Werdum from regaining guard, and he also wasn't going to be able to advance/deal any damage without placing himself in a compromising position relatively quickly. So he abandoned the ground game until he had no other options, and that's when he got choked out.