Sean's Philly Shell

[Objectively Correct]

As every fighting strategy/stance does, Seans Philly Shell must have disadvantages, right? What would be a viable strategy against Sean and fighting style? Go for broke and blitz in? Dirty boxing in the clinch? Keep at a distance and work with feints and legkicks (didnt work for Adesanya)? Or is Seans striking the best at middleweight and people will have to resort to takedowns and guard pulls?

 

[Elporko]

Double up on strikes coming from the side of the shoulder roll

Cut angles to inside the shell

Casting punches (overhands) that drop over the top of the shoulder

Jabbing to the chest and sternum

Force lateral movement (less effective as Strickland's "philly shell" isn't heavily bladed.

any combinations of these will work.

 

[Fossor]

Double leg takedown

 

[Area809]

Tell ya what, you couldn’t stand straight up in a Philly shell against GSP. The fact that Izzy simply refuses to grapple is part of his downfall.

 

[yookfarb]

Tell ya what, you couldn’t stand straight up in a Philly shell against GSP. The fact that Izzy simply refuses to grapple is part of his downfall.

Izzy doesn't even have the grappling ability of Anderson let alone GSP, it's not just poor strategy but a massive weakness in his game.

 

[Area809]

Izzy doesn't even have the grappling ability of Anderson let alone GSP, it's not just poor strategy but a massive weakness in his game.

True but still, you have to give your opponent something else to think about, specially if plan A is not working. It is mma after all.

 

[Reptile_Bong_Hit]

Striking? If you're stuck in boxing range, then unless you're quick enough to intercept him:

1. Misdirection: body/head, throwing punches to the head from down low, etc.
2. Combinations: you're not going to land on Strickland throwing one at time; it's the second or third strike that's going to connect. But you need to have confidence/comfort staying the pocket.

Otherwise, you stand in front of him, like a mirror, wait for him to go first, and try to win with as few strikes as possible. Throwing one at a time at air (going first) will just slowly tire you out and leave you vulnerable to being countered.

 

[kwijyboy]

Ask Pereira.

 

[randomg1t]

he gets away with it because boxing in MMA still sucks big time.

someone with some actual boxing skill and footwork could get an angle on him and double up with their right hand.

he's pulled off a great victory, but let's not pretend like he's some defensive magician all of a sudden. he gets eaten alive by a strong wrestler and knocked out cold by a good boxer.

who is he defending against first?

 

[NoSmilez]

I think it was an off night for Israel. They probably didn't train as hard or couldn't find someone to emulate Strickland's style. It seemed like they had an idea what they wanted to do but didn't have a backup plan. Israel let Strickland stuff his kicks and for some reason didn't use a push kick or a knee to keep him away.

 

[spinup]

Double up on strikes coming from the side of the shoulder roll

Cut angles to inside the shell

Casting punches (overhands) that drop over the top of the shoulder

Jabbing to the chest and sternum

Force lateral movement (less effective as Strickland's "philly shell" isn't heavily bladed.

any combinations of these will work.

I noticed Izzy had success whenever he threw longer combinations.

 

[flektarn]

Tell ya what, you couldn’t stand straight up in a Philly shell against GSP. The fact that Izzy simply refuses to grapple is part of his downfall.

Sean didn't look terrible against Usman of all people. Basic ass wrestling from a striker isn't going to keep Sean down or even worried.

 

[Bearknuckle]

Leg kicks and sidekicks. It was honestly very weird watching him use that style and beat izzy.

Alex periera KO’d strickland easily when he tried that style, anything can happen in this sport.

 

[Area809]

Sean didn't look terrible against Usman of all people. Basic ass wrestling from a striker isn't going to keep Sean down or even worried.

The point isn’t to going in there and just grapple the guy. But rather to mix it up. Give him different things to think about. Purely kickboxing didn’t work for Izzy. Maybe a little bit of grappling could’ve opened up his striking. I don’t recall even seeing a clinch.

 

[Benoitthegr8]

I think Izzy was just concussed and timid after the knockdown

 

[flektarn]

The point isn’t to going in there and just grapple the guy. But rather to mix it up. Give him different things to think about. Purely kickboxing didn’t work for Izzy. Maybe a little bit of grappling could’ve opened up his striking. I don’t recall even seeing a clinch.

Oh I get the idea but when someone's offensive grappling is so trash is it really worth it to drop your hands for a poor TD attempt from a striker ? Probably doesn't need to. It's not like Izzy is going to become a fast blast doubler. Some clinching might have been a good idea but Izzy likes distance management and movement way too much to get that close to anyone. What's he going to do, clinch and start throwing MT knees like Oliveira ? He'll get taken down. Idk man but this wasn't it.

 

[TheTickG]

Take a look at the second ustin fight (Justin vs Dustin).

 

[Vergilius]

You can just go and watch any of his losses to find your answer.

But he's open to getting hit with high kicks, for one thing, and the teep down the middle is also wiiiide open, imo, and Izzy would do well to use that to create distance in a rematch. Traditionally, the Philly shell is also vulnerable to a boxer with a great left hook.

 

[JudoJabs]

The Boxing level in MMA is still very basic. You can do a ton more, and implement so much more, the MMA myths have really slowed down the evolution of striking.

Great performance by Strickland, embarrassing loss for Izzy and Dana White can’t be happy.