Details about the friction between Rumble and his corner...

[Mike Hagger]

Rumble has a mental block. I think his last fight with DC really scarred him and there's no getting over it.

He really froze once he ended up in the same spot he did last time. Like all his fears coming true.

I hated watching it. Wonder if his retirement is permanent. Got a feeling he's not 100% done.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

I'm quite happy I was unavailable for this card. Sounds like garbage from top to bottom.

 

[KazDibiase]

Amazing stuff @KazDibiase .

I was literally face palming the moment he cliched Cormier and continued to hold my face and just listened to the commentary. I was blown away by that performance. It made no sense what so ever. He should have been able to pick up a relatively easy win with an outside striking game and shucking off take down attempts and clinches. Just WTF?!

Hahaha me too! I just hollered "wtf are you doing?"

This was one of the weirdest title fights I ever seen.

 

[Iroh]

That man wanted to prove something to himself.

His corner is selfish. If they knew it was his last fight, it is shameful they never showed up to stand by him as he retired.

Fuck those guys.

#NotMyCorner

Prove that he couldn't win the belt? Prove that he could get a take down at the cost of the whole fight? Prove that he would get choked if he didn't fight off DC's hands at all?

 

[MrFeeny]

DC really fucked rumble up on the ground at the end. That was insane to see. Rumble was so out of it DC just put his hand on his chin to lift it up and get the choke it.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Prove that he couldn't win the belt? Prove that he could get a take down at the cost of the whole fight? Prove that he would get choked if he didn't fight off DC's hands at all?

Yup.

He wanted to be Fedor and beat the challenge at his own game.

Nig.

 

[Transmorphers]

Did his corner enter the cage after the fight at all, or did they just leave straight from their position? They seemed to be long gone by the time Rumble was calling for them, unless they left just before his interview and blanked him on their way out. It'll be interesting to see the footage.

 

[skysolo]

Is there actual audio of the corner?

 

[Deleted member 196663]

According to corner audio from the event, Johnson’s cornermen pleaded with him when he elected to wrestle Cormier (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) rather than engage in striking. They begged him to disengage and keep his distance, and expressed anger when he didn’t.


UFC 210 video highlights: Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson
At one point, Johnson’s longtime striking coach Henri Hooft exclaimed, “This is stupid.” Between rounds, Johnson said nothing.

When Johnson (22-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC) submitted to a rear-naked choke in the second round, he exclaimed, “Why, why the (expletive) does this happen every (expletive) time, man?”

These excerpts from Johnson’s corner tell the tale. Apparently, the fighter’s retirement plans weren’t the only surprise of the night.

Round 1
Voice: Take your time. Nice. Take your time. Don’t take him down.

Hooft: Don’t wrestle him.

Voice: If you’re going to go, go single.

Hooft: You don’t have to wrestle him, AJ. Just relax.

Voice: Don’t wrestle him.

Hooft: Get out of there. Get out of there.

Grappling coach Neil Melanson: OK, stud. Now, let’s get your hands hot.

Voice: Why is he wrestling him?

Hooft: This is stupid.

Voice: Why is he wrestling him?

Hooft: (Expletive) it, man. Just get off the cage.

Voice: Get out of there.

Voice: Why isn’t he listening?

(Johnson and Cormier are broken up by referee John McCarthy, and Johnson lands kicks.)

Voice: He’s tired already, DC. He doesn’t need to do this.

Voice: Why isn’t he listening?

Hooft: I don’t know why he’s doing that. We have no (expletive) eyes.

Break between Round 1 and Round 2
Hooft: Can you tell me why you’re wrestling? Now, you’re not going to wrestle. You take your distance. Stay away, two steps away. Why are you so worried about everything? The kicks and the knees are really good, but no kicks. Where’s your hands?

Voice: You’re doing great. Don’t (expletive) wrestle him.

Hooft: If you stand your distance, it’s an easy game. Why make it difficult?

Round 2
Hooft: Movement. Athletic. Movement. That’s it. Take your distance.

(Johnson reverses against the cage and goes for another takedown)

Hooft: You need distance.

Hooft: I’m not saying nothing.

(Cormier has Johnson on the mat and is setting up a choke)

Hooft: It’s going the same as last time.

(Johnson submits to Cormier via rear-naked choke)

Hooft: Why, why the (expletive) does this happen every (expletive) time, man? Crazy.

After the fight, Johnson surprised the crowd and retired from the sport. He sought out Hooft before he made his announcement, but Hooft was nowhere to be found.

http://mmajunkie.com/?p=241729

How do you post a thread about corner audio without corner audio?

 

[FaTaL FaTaL]

He quit, I don't blame his corner for high tailing it out of there

 

[devaughnb]

Ive always thought Rumble was a bit soft mentaly. The entire weight cutting fiasco stemmed from lack of confidance... thinking he couldnt compete at upper weight classes.

 

[Iroh]

Yup.

He wanted to be Fedor and beat the challenge at his own game.

Nig.

Nah, he panicked and mentally gave up the path to victory before he actually lost. He just didn't flat out did nothing so he could convince himself it wasn't as bad as it really was. You could see it from the start. He was antsy as hell.

 

[RetiredSlave]

I think Rumble has a strangulation fetish. Dead serious.

 

[The guest]

There is so much that was fucked about that. I don't understand what he was doing.

I mean...

Because, Miesha clinching with Ronda was a great gameplan in their 2nd fight...Right ?

So, Rumble decided he would just play into DC's strongest attribute ?

It's so sketchy. And I hate that I actually have doubts about the legitimacy of that fight.

It's very troubling to me.

 

[Toco]

How do you post a thread about corner audio without corner audio?

oh, you were the guy that thought that wrestle with fucking DC was the strategy, well, about that......

 

[Apollo33]

Rumble has a mental block. I think his last fight with DC really scarred him and there's no getting over it.

He really froze once he ended up in the same spot he did last time. Like all his fears coming true.

I hated watching it. Wonder if his retirement is permanent. Got a feeling he's not 100% done.

What part of the mental block was it for him to shoot for take down a minute into round one

 

[Exi]

Hahaha me too! I just hollered "wtf are you doing?"

This was one of the weirdest title fights I ever seen.

Top ten worst strategy I have seen in an MMA fight of this magnitude.

 

[sangreporsangre]

I wonder how their camp went then. Rumble is obviously going through some shit. I wonder if we'll ever see him again in the cage.....guys retire and come back all the time, but he really didn't want to be in there, and how the hell can you not in a world title rematch against a guy who beat you. I hope he gets his mind right but I think if he comes back he'll have some different coaches.

 

[Iroh]

@Bobby Steelz

He had retirement on his mind going into the fight. That dude didn't come into the cage to prove and attain any grand accomplishment. He came in defeated and wanting out of the sport without taking too much damage.

 

[JackWhite]

Knowing it would most likely be his last fight; and that's how he goes out? Fucking awful. Such a bummer,