The Combat Sport Poll Guy

All Things Combat Sport

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili goes all 5 rounds once again #UFC333

15 rounds, 75 minutes shared together in the UFC octagon.

Did the judges get the decision right?

Was it the right winner or was this a robbery?

How did you guys score it?

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

15 years ago today

October 29, 2011 🥊

Mirko Cro Cop had been one of the most feared heavyweights in PRIDE.

By UFC 137, the legend was clearly near the end of his first UFC run.

Roy Nelson was the next opponent.

The fight made it into Round 3.

Then “Big Country” took over.

Nelson hurt Cro Cop and finished him with punches.

Another big-name win for Nelson.

For Cro Cop, it became the final fight of his first UFC chapter before he stepped away from the promotion.

Two heavyweight cult favorites.

One career moving forward.

One reaching the end of an era.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Money Moicano on retirement, his contract and an "easy" Ilia Topuria fight.

At 37, Moicano says he won't be fighting at 40.

He might finish his contract and walk away unless the UFC offers "very good money."

Then he jokes that after Nolan he wants Ilia Topuria as an easy comeback fight.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Moicano says Tom Nolan is more dangerous than Brian Ortega.

Brian Ortega is the bigger name, but Moicano says "everybody can agree"

Tom Nolan is the more dangerous fighter.

He thinks beating the rising contender will do more for his resume than an Ortega win would.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Tom Nolan calls Renato Moicano one of his heroes, and Moicano basically answers:

"Thanks, but I'm still going to beat you up."

Then he adds.

"I don't want compliments, I want money."

Moicano is the most honest man in the UFC. 😂💰

[Championship Rounds @ChampRDS]

🗣️ Tom Nolan: "He's one of my heros."

🗣️ Renato Moicano: "F*ck that Tom Nolan. I'm gonna beat your f*cking ass bro, stop that sh*t. I don't want compliments I want money."

😭😭😭

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Petr Yan spent 25 minutes stuffing Merab Dvalishvili's takedowns and forgot to turn his takedown defense off when his own corner tried to pick him up to celebrate. 😭

Nobody is beating this man

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

While Michael Morales and Carlos Prates are trading memes and fighting for the interim welterweight belt.

Islam Makhachev is playing padel and cruising around on a motorcycle waiting for the winner.

Champion life. 🏍️👑

[Red Corner MMA @RedCorner_MMA]

Islam Makhachev spotted riding a motorcycle during his downtime. 🏍️

Via: ismail_kelemetov

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

15 years ago today

October 29, 2011 🥋

Donald Cerrone’s first year in the UFC was ridiculous.

He came over from the WEC and just kept fighting.

Just kept winning.

Dennis Siver was another tough lightweight standing in the way at UFC 137.

Cerrone hurt him with a head kick in Round 1.

Siver survived the kick.

He did not survive the grappling that followed.

Cerrone took his back and locked in a rear-naked choke.

Tap.

Another win.

Another bonus.

“Cowboy” was turning his first UFC year into one of the busiest and most impressive runs on the roster.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

15 years ago today

October 29, 2011 🥊

Nick Diaz returned to the UFC against BJ Penn.

Two former champions.

Two huge personalities.

And Diaz immediately turned the fight into his kind of pace.

He walked Penn down, talked to him, threw combinations and kept forcing exchanges.

Penn had moments early.

By the later rounds, Diaz was taking over.

After 3 rounds, all three judges gave it to Diaz.

Then the story got even bigger.

Diaz called out Georges St-Pierre.

Penn announced his retirement.

One fight changed the direction of two legendary careers at the same time.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Death, taxes, and a new target season for Conor McGregor's UFC comeback.

Now Coach John Kavanagh is floating next summer. 😭

Be honest: do we ever see Conor McGregor fight inside the UFC Octagon again?

Yes or no? 👇

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Petr Yan spent 25 minutes stuffing Merab Dvalishvili's takedowns and forgot to turn his takedown defense off when his own corner tried to pick him up to celebrate. 😭

Nobody is beating this man

[Red Corner MMA @RedCorner_MMA]

😂Petr Yan's takedown defense has officially become a running joke. Even his friends can't lift him.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

9 years ago today

October 28, 2017 🥊

John Lineker returned from a long layoff against a young Marlon Vera in São Paulo.

“Hands of Stone” did what he always did.

Walk forward.

Attack the body.

Throw heavy combinations.

Vera stayed tough and had a strong third round.

Lineker had already banked too much.

30-27.
29-28.
29-28.

Unanimous decision.

Years later, Vera fought for the UFC bantamweight title.

This was one of the early losses he had to grow through first.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Death, taxes, and a new target season for Conor McGregor's UFC comeback.

Now Coach John Kavanagh is floating next summer. 😭

Be honest: do we ever see Conor McGregor fight inside the UFC Octagon again?

Yes or no? 👇

[Red Corner MMA @RedCorner_MMA]

John Kavanagh refuses to rule out Conor McGregor comeback, envisions potential return next summer

"I've just seen him do too many things that seem to be impossible, and he does them repeatedly. So, if he says he does, I'm not going to doubt him... If anybody can, he can."

Via: @arielhelwani

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Josh Hokit shooting his shot at Madison Beer from the couch with the wildest camera angle on the internet is peak heavyweight energy. 😭

On a scale of 1 to 10, how are we rating Josh Hokit's game here? 👇

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

If you're getting ready to trade leather with a heavyweight puncher like Sergei Pavlovich.

Having a former UFC champion like Glover Teixeira testing your defense in sparring is exactly what you want. 🤝

Most retired coaches just hold mitts.

Glover Teixeira is still putting on the big gloves and trading rounds with Poatan. Legendary duo. 👏

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Notice what Sean O'Malley is doing here:

Earlier on his podcast he said Song Yadong doesn't need to fight Merab Dvalishvili again.

Now on Bradley Martyn's show he's hyping up Song vs. Merab so he can get Petr Yan to himself.

Chess, not checkers from Suga. 😂♟️

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

"I don't think Petr Yan is scared of Sugar Sean O'Malley by any means... It's a different fight." That's actually the realest way to frame it:

Going from stuffing Merab Dvalishvili's takedowns to trading on the feet with a long sniper like O'Malley is a completely different puzzle. 🎯

[Red Corner MMA @RedCorner_MMA]

Sean O'Malley breaks down Petr Yan's mindset on potential rematch: "In his little Russian head he's like, 'Ah, fuck'"

"I don't think Petr Yan is scared of Sugar Sean O'Malley by any means... But I do think in his little Russian head he's like, 'Ah, fuck.' You know? It's a different fight."

Via: @arielhelwani

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Carlos Prates and Ali Abdelaziz goes at it on X

"I will not add anything on his legacy, i will finish his legacy brother"

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

When Sean O'Malley held the belt, Petr Yan had to work his way back through contenders;

Now that Yan has the gold back, he's returning the favor and letting Suga do all the chasing.

Is Petr Yan avoiding the Sean O'Malley rematch, or is he just enjoying making Suga campaign for it? 👇

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

9 years ago today

October 28, 2017 🥋

Vicente Luque and Niko Price eventually became known for exactly the same thing:

Violence.

Their first meeting came in 2017.

It did not disappoint.

In Round 2, the fight hit the mat and Luque found Price’s neck.

D’Arce choke.

Tap.

Luque had the first win in the rivalry.

The two would meet again years later and produce even more chaos.

Looking back, this was the opening chapter between two welterweights who became some of the most reliable action fighters on the UFC roster.

[The Combat Sport Poll Guy @PollGuyUFC]

Khamzat Chimaev just said he's the hunter and will chase Sean Strickland to any weight class.

And right on cue footage drops of Strickland grinding out grappling rounds in the gym. 👀🤼‍♂️

People forget Sean Strickland is a black belt with sneaky-good wrestling defense