Rewatched Whittaker/Romero

I remembered that fight being a snoozefest. Yet here is TS pulling out these gems.

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Bobby knuckles is a fucking beast and highly underrated.
 
Oh geez. Lol.

So Whittaker's worst match up would be...... Steve Thompson? Lol.

The worst matchup for Whittaker would be someone who is a much better mma fighter than he is. Of which there aren't any in his weight class right now. Making him the best.

"Better MMA fighter" huh. You must be a gambling genius with insight like that.
 
I had it 49-46 for Whittaker. Both are beasts but Whittaker is just on a different level from everybody else at MW.
I'd even go as far to say *on a different level than any middleweight ever*. IMO, there are probably a handful of current middleweights that would beat a Prime Andy (Jacare, Rockhold, Yoel, Weidman), and Whittaker has proven himself to be far better than all those guys.
 
Except he didn't "take a round off". He lost to the better fighter in Whittaker. Wouldn't have mattered if he went ham all five rds or not, he was never going to win that fight, and he'll get outclassed even worse the second time 'round.
Exactly, I do not think he took a round off either. That is like saying Conor took off the third of the fight with Nate: Nate's pace and gameplan exhausted him.
 
Although it may be fair to say it was probably 2-2 going into the 5th I couldn’t help thinking Whittaker always looked in control, I remember the early rounds just being Yoel clinging onto the back kneeing him in the thigh.
Maybe I’m wrong, it’s just how I seem to remember it.
 
I'd even go as far to say *on a different level than any middleweight ever*. IMO, there are probably a handful of current middleweights that would beat a Prime Andy (Jacare, Rockhold, Yoel, Weidman), and Whittaker has proven himself to be far better than all those guys.
I think Anderson could beat Jacare and Rockhold, but definitely not Yoel and Whittaker.
 
You described the build & style of the guy who finished Whittaker a while back @ welterweight. How much savvy does that take?

There is no blueprint to beat Whittaker at MW because it hasnt been done yet.

Not my fault you're an MMA noob and haven't figured out how to see trends yet.

When guys who are primarily wrestler-boxers lose, it's usually to well rounded kickboxers, or to guys who use kickboxing elements to get the W.

Werdum destroyed Cain in the MT clinch. MM beat wrestle-boxer Cejudo with his MT. Dillashaw beat Garbrandt by using his kickboxing. Silva destroyed Rich Franklin with his MT. Wonderboy beat Whittaker with kickboxing, etc...
 
That was one of those edge of the seat fights. Happy to see the rematch.
 
The problem I see for Romero is that he will never be able to match the volume of strikes that Whittaker can throw without gassing quickly. So he either has to rely on successful takedowns, (which didn't work even with Whittaker having an injured knee) or that one shot KO, which he is completely capable of but also leaves him incredibly vulnerable to as good of a counter puncher as Whittaker.
 
Except that dumb, over-generalised theory doesn't really work here. Whittaker is not some prototypical wrestle-boxer. He uses plenty of kicks & knees, elbows as well.

He lost to Thompson because Thompson was the superior fighter at that point in time. If Thompson went up in weight and challenged him, there's not a betting man on the damn planet that wouldn't put all their eggs in Whittaker's basket.

I'm sorry, but you're just dumb, a noob, or both.

I guess you've never heard of the saying "styles make fights?" It exists for a reason, and not because people have figured out your derpy epiphany of "the better fighter will win the fight!"
 
Whittaker is the shit.
A videogame nerd and a family man.

Soldier of Gay Jesus comes across as a hardcore religious nutcase, a bully, and a bigot.

While Yoel certainty doesn't deserve a rematch (missed weight) I hope Bobby knocks his head clean off.

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There are very few truly likable characters on the UFC roster who are:
a) high profile
B) non-cringy

And Whittaker is one of them. I honestly can't find a single thing I dislike about the guy. Probably the most likable champ, along with Stipe, in a very, very long time.
 
Except he didn't "take a round off". He lost to the better fighter in Whittaker. Wouldn't have mattered if he went ham all five rds or not, he was never going to win that fight, and he'll get outclassed even worse the second time 'round.

The general rule of thumb is that if the younger fighter won the last fight ... the younger fighter will win the rematch even easier.
 
I give the slight edge to Whittaker. They may as well book it, no other fight to make imo.
 
Easily one of the best fights of 2017.

Can't wait for the rematch honestly.
 
I'm sorry, but you're just dumb, a noob, or both.

I guess you've never heard of the saying "styles make fights?" It exists for a reason, and not because people have figured out your derpy epiphany of "the better fighter will win the fight!"
"Styles may make fights" but there are such things as Cain vs JDS, where the most likely outcome for a second and third fight does not happen in the first. Thompson may have Knuckles number, but you best believe Vegas would favor Knuckles if they fought today. Bobby and Max are the most improved UFC fighters over the past 3-4 years and there is no way around that.
 
- Easily 2-2 going into the 5th
- Biggest moment in the fight was when Romero fell in the 5th. Looked like he overextended himself during a strike and slipped.
- That said, Whittaker's top control was amazing in the 5th. Gassed or not, Romero cannot be easy to control on the ground. Whittaker deserved to win R5 and the fight.
- Whittaker landed some decent GnP in the 5th for a bit. Has anyone ever landed GnP on Romero lol?
- Whittaker is definitely the better striker. He was crisp, fast and had power. Romero went for takedowns for a reason.
- Whittaker is FAST. Romero looked almost normal speed for once. His speed was a key factor is making Romero look human for once.

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- Goddamn Whittaker has good TDD and a great ability to get back up, especially toward the end.

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- I don't see Romero doing what he did to Rockhold to Whittaker. Kickboxing with Whittaker without any TD threat might get Romero TKOed eventually.
- Whittaker was gassed toward the end too. Romero actually has decent cardio and knows how to pace himself. Whittaker gave him little time to rest, though.

Easily the most underrated fight of 2017 IMO. Loved the fight and can't wait for these two to fight again.

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Whittaker fought almost the whole fight with a bad leg though. I think he even more decisively wins the rematch.
 
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