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- Nov 24, 2022
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This fight was basically a personification of the old joke between, The young bull and the old bull, on top of the mountain. Young bull wants to run down the mountain and f*ck "a" cow ... but the old bull says, "Nah, let's walk down there and f*ck em all ..."
Yusuff started this match running, and was running away with it. Personally, I disagree that Round 1 was 10 x 8 for Yusuff, but I can see it. IMO, Barboza came back toward the later part of the round, threatened the legs, took away the play on the ground, etc. It was still a clear round for use of.
IMO, Round 3 also qualifies for 10 x 8 as much (or more) than Round 1, as Yusuff was totally controlled by Barboza, 100% of Round 3, whereas Barboza had his moments and threats in Round 1.
Anyway, here's how I had it:
ROUND 1: Yusuff, 10-9 (no 10-8)
Yusuff too powerful and fast early. Battered and bloodied Barboza, who couldn't take the pressure, the punches, and was getting beaten to the punch. Fight goes to the ground and Barboza gains some control, threatens with leglock / heel-hook attemprs. When the fight got to the feet, Yusuff had slowed-down considerably let Barboza back into the fight. Clear round for Yusuff.
ROUND 2: Barboza, 10-9 (though 10-10 is arguable)
This is the only debatable round. Yusuff won the yearly going for the first 3 minutes, but Barboza started landing multiple left-hooks to the liver, +2 spinning-back kicks to the liver. (Amazing, not one single commentator mentioned the multiple left-hooks/body shots Barboza threw, over and over again.) Bisping was horrible, ranting about things that weren't even happening in the fight — and ignoring what was actually happening in the fight — a sustained, intelligent body attack by Barboza.) The last two min of the fight, Barboza had established control and was walking Yusuff down, who was clearly fading.
ROUND 3: Barboza, 10-9 (arguably 10-8)
Barboza continues throwing vicious left hooks to the body, followed by looping rights to the head. Takes a nut shot from Yusuff, but goes right back to complete control. Another spinning back-kick to the liver from Barboza, followed by a right to the body, and titanic left hook (that barely missed). Barboza continues the massive bodywork, mostly left-hooks to the liver, but also left roundhouses. Total veteran stuff here!! (And, finally, Bisping and Cruz take note — even though Barboza had begun this sustained attack in the middle of the previous round.) Barboza lands spinning back kick to the head, which dropped Yusuff, but also knocked Barboza off-balance. Barboza gets over-excited and tries to landed darce. While Barboza still completely dominated in the grappling exchange, he literally blew his moment to finish. Should have tried ground-n-pound or let Yusuff back up to finish him on the feet.
ROUND 4: Barboza, 10-9
Sustained attack to the body continues, commencing with yet another spinning back-kick to the liver, followed by a left roundhouse kick to the liver. Barboza starts to paw a little bit, losing some of the previous snap. Boring clinch for a while while both rest. (Bisping starts crying about how Round 1 should be 10-7, and would not shut up. Dude is insufferable.) Midway through Round 4, Barboza starts landing to the body again, with a lot more snap on his punches and kicks. Yusuff literally doing nothing useful. Toward the end, Yusuff is landing some stiff jabs, but that's all he is landing, save some week, half-hearted kicks to the calf. Meanwhile, Barboza lands lead rights, left shovel-punches to the chin, knees to the body, just a multi-dimensional, professional attack with renewed snap.
ROUND 5: Barboza, 10-9
Barboza begins landing multiple body shots, head shots, knees to the body — while Yusuff holds-on the back of Barboza's head. Yusuff doesn't want to fight anymore. Another spinning-back-kick to the liver by Barboza. Dude is a treat to watch. Yusuff throwing single-jabs, single kicks to the and Barboza's lead leg. Meanwhile, Barboza punching/kicking in combinations — left legs to liver, rights to the head, jabs and left-shovel punches to the chin. Yusuff looks bewildered. Barboza continues the forward pressure, jabs, rights, left kicks to the liver. Yusuff does display the harder jab, but Barboza far more multidimensional. Barboza also sneaking left hooks to the liver, under Yusuff's telegraphed rights. Hard body slam by Barboza with 1:40 left. The excitement of the fight ends, as Barboza basically rides out the clock. Two more takedowns (again, anticlimactic) cinch the round for Barboza, but ruined the thrill of a potential KO.
MY FINAL SCORE: Barboza, 49-46
This fight was a literal Master Class of a seasoned pro schooling a young buck.
Yusuff started this match running, and was running away with it. Personally, I disagree that Round 1 was 10 x 8 for Yusuff, but I can see it. IMO, Barboza came back toward the later part of the round, threatened the legs, took away the play on the ground, etc. It was still a clear round for use of.
IMO, Round 3 also qualifies for 10 x 8 as much (or more) than Round 1, as Yusuff was totally controlled by Barboza, 100% of Round 3, whereas Barboza had his moments and threats in Round 1.
Anyway, here's how I had it:
ROUND 1: Yusuff, 10-9 (no 10-8)
Yusuff too powerful and fast early. Battered and bloodied Barboza, who couldn't take the pressure, the punches, and was getting beaten to the punch. Fight goes to the ground and Barboza gains some control, threatens with leglock / heel-hook attemprs. When the fight got to the feet, Yusuff had slowed-down considerably let Barboza back into the fight. Clear round for Yusuff.
ROUND 2: Barboza, 10-9 (though 10-10 is arguable)
This is the only debatable round. Yusuff won the yearly going for the first 3 minutes, but Barboza started landing multiple left-hooks to the liver, +2 spinning-back kicks to the liver. (Amazing, not one single commentator mentioned the multiple left-hooks/body shots Barboza threw, over and over again.) Bisping was horrible, ranting about things that weren't even happening in the fight — and ignoring what was actually happening in the fight — a sustained, intelligent body attack by Barboza.) The last two min of the fight, Barboza had established control and was walking Yusuff down, who was clearly fading.
ROUND 3: Barboza, 10-9 (arguably 10-8)
Barboza continues throwing vicious left hooks to the body, followed by looping rights to the head. Takes a nut shot from Yusuff, but goes right back to complete control. Another spinning back-kick to the liver from Barboza, followed by a right to the body, and titanic left hook (that barely missed). Barboza continues the massive bodywork, mostly left-hooks to the liver, but also left roundhouses. Total veteran stuff here!! (And, finally, Bisping and Cruz take note — even though Barboza had begun this sustained attack in the middle of the previous round.) Barboza lands spinning back kick to the head, which dropped Yusuff, but also knocked Barboza off-balance. Barboza gets over-excited and tries to landed darce. While Barboza still completely dominated in the grappling exchange, he literally blew his moment to finish. Should have tried ground-n-pound or let Yusuff back up to finish him on the feet.
ROUND 4: Barboza, 10-9
Sustained attack to the body continues, commencing with yet another spinning back-kick to the liver, followed by a left roundhouse kick to the liver. Barboza starts to paw a little bit, losing some of the previous snap. Boring clinch for a while while both rest. (Bisping starts crying about how Round 1 should be 10-7, and would not shut up. Dude is insufferable.) Midway through Round 4, Barboza starts landing to the body again, with a lot more snap on his punches and kicks. Yusuff literally doing nothing useful. Toward the end, Yusuff is landing some stiff jabs, but that's all he is landing, save some week, half-hearted kicks to the calf. Meanwhile, Barboza lands lead rights, left shovel-punches to the chin, knees to the body, just a multi-dimensional, professional attack with renewed snap.
ROUND 5: Barboza, 10-9
Barboza begins landing multiple body shots, head shots, knees to the body — while Yusuff holds-on the back of Barboza's head. Yusuff doesn't want to fight anymore. Another spinning-back-kick to the liver by Barboza. Dude is a treat to watch. Yusuff throwing single-jabs, single kicks to the and Barboza's lead leg. Meanwhile, Barboza punching/kicking in combinations — left legs to liver, rights to the head, jabs and left-shovel punches to the chin. Yusuff looks bewildered. Barboza continues the forward pressure, jabs, rights, left kicks to the liver. Yusuff does display the harder jab, but Barboza far more multidimensional. Barboza also sneaking left hooks to the liver, under Yusuff's telegraphed rights. Hard body slam by Barboza with 1:40 left. The excitement of the fight ends, as Barboza basically rides out the clock. Two more takedowns (again, anticlimactic) cinch the round for Barboza, but ruined the thrill of a potential KO.
MY FINAL SCORE: Barboza, 49-46
This fight was a literal Master Class of a seasoned pro schooling a young buck.
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