ck-to-back would make even more senck-to-back would make even more sen | Forum
123
May 18 '19
When the UFC stacked the fight card for the historic first event in New York City, it did so by selecting more than a few talented strikers from its roster to ensure the event sees some fireworks. Air Max Australia . As well see, the names of these fighters are among the primary reasons fans will be tuning into the nights events. Lets take a closer look at the offensive striking metrics for the fighters on the card -- and see which fighters excel in their standup game, and specifically how they excel.How the graph worksThis balloon (or bubble) chart includes the fighters competing this weekend with sufficient sample size. Many of these figures will move with more cage time, but its a good snapshot of how theyve performed to date.The four metrics in the graph are all related to offensive striking. First, the vertical axis is the power head striking accuracy. This is a general reflection of a strikers skill level in technique. Some fighters are more aggressive than others, while some are primarily counter-strikers; those characteristics lead to very different striking styles. The horizontal axis indicates the ratio of strike attempts while standing compared to that specific fighters opponents throughout their career. Its a measure of output, and a proxy for aggression. An even 1.0 ratio means a fighter matches the pace of their opponents when standing and trading, while a higher number shows more aggressive and higher-volume strikers compared to lower ratios, which indicate counter-strikers.The dots are plotted based on those two metrics, but two additional variables are also shown on this chart. The size of the bubble is based on the fighters Knockdown Rate in all of their UFC, Strikeforce and WEC fights. Bigger bubbles mean a lot more power, while the small specks indicate fighters who havent logged a distance knockdown in recorded competition. Lastly, southpaw/switch stance strikers are in red. Unorthodox strikers are rare, but are worth highlighting, as some fighters have trouble with Southpaws. click to enlargeSnipersHighest on the graph, Conor McGregor leads the pack as the most accurate power striker at UFC 205, landing 42 percent of his power head strikes from a distance. Impressively, he has achieved this while using a high mix of head kicks instead of just punches, which typically lowers a fighters accuracy.Another UFC champion and event marquee fighter, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, comes in close behind at 40 percent. Like McGregor, Joanna Champion excels with precision despite using an aggressive striking style that might normally lower overall accuracy.Cuban wrestler Yoel Romero may have the most noteworthy Olympic credentials on the card, but surprisingly he has avoided putting them to use so far in the UFC. Instead of wrestling, he has opted stand and trade with opponents, and has enjoyed remarkable success with his hands.High-pressure strikersJedrzejczyk isnt just an accurate and technical striker, she puts on a blistering pace. Shes averaging over 19 standup strike attempts per minute while at a distance, and shes nearly doubled the pace of opponents by throwing 83 percent more total volume. However, she has only the second-highest striking output on the card, because her opponent Karolina Kowalkiewicz averages 21 attempts per minute. Thats all the more reason to expect a barnburner in the strawweight championship bout.In addition to Kowalkiewicz, welterweight title challenger Stephen Wonderboy Thompson has also vastly outworked his opponents while trading leather. Thats because Thompsons long-range movement and skilled kicking attacks have stymied his opponents to date. However, its worth noting that his opponent, Tyron Woodley, will have the best wrestling credentials of anyone that Thompson has ever faced.SluggersWoodley, the new welterweight champ, is the punch-for-punch hardest hitter on the card, and secured his new belt in an appropriately hard hitting manner. Woodley is the first fighter to win a welterweight title fight in the early rounds in nearly a decade, in a division that has seen more than its share of decisions when the belt is on the line. It will be interesting to see if he chooses to stand and trade with Wonderboy -- whether hell count on power to trump precision and pace, or if we will see an early dose of wrestling.Another welterweight comes in a distant second, and thats Donald Cerrone. Despite lagging behind Woodley on the stat line, Cerrone makes up for it with pure volume of career knockdowns scored -- currently at 17 total since his days in the WEC, and six more than the next-highest total on the card (Alves, 11). Cerrone will try to test the sturdy chin of Kelvin Gastelum on the main card.Keeping it on the groundKhabib Nurmagomedov is arguably the most effective wrestler on the card.?He typically chooses to keep fights on the ground, as hes absolutely dominated opponents while there. That suits Nurmagomedov well, given that he has not demonstrated very accurate or well-paced power striking thus far. In facing a more skilled striker in Michael Johnson, hell have to stick to his bread and butter to ensure the fights stays in the position that favors his style. Wholesale Air Max Australia . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Cheap Air Max Australia . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. http://www.discountairmaxaustralia.com/ . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Jay Monahan will be just the fourth PGA Tour commissioner in history. Which topics should be at the top of his agenda when he starts Jan. 1?As for outgoing commissioner Tim Finchem, what will he be most remembered for in his 22-plus years at the helm?Our panel of experts looks back and ahead to the PGA Tours future in this weeks edition of Monday Four-Ball.1. What will be Tim Finchems lasting legacy?SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman: I think his lasting legacy will be of a man who was willing to take the Tiger Woods phenomenon and capitalize on it and bring the PGA Tour to new financial heights. He brokered unparalleled deals that allow players to now reach earnings that they could only dream about 30 years ago.ESPN.com senior golf writer Michael Collins: Tiger Woods. Anytime you mention Tim Finchem, what he did, the direction and growth of the PGA Tour, you have to mention Tiger Woods. They are tied together like no other commissioner and star player in any major American sport ever will be.ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: Enriching the players. Finchem spoke often over the years about his desire to bring up the level of compensation for golfers closer to that of what those in team sports enjoy. And while earning the kind of guaranteed income baseball, basketball and football stars get is not possible in golf, Finchem has made it possible for the good to elite players to make a fabulous living. Also, something that has not received as much attention: how the PGA Tour under his watch enhanced its pension program to be incredibly lucrative, even for average players.ESPN.com senior golf writer Jason Sobel:?I think the common sentiment is that anyone couldve ushered the PGA Tour through the Tiger Era and made bazillions for the tour, its members and its charities. But thats not necessarily true. Finchem maximized his product to the greatest monetary possibilities. There will never be another growth period in the game like the one presided over during his reign.2. What should Jay Monahans first priority be when he takes over as PGA Tour commissioner?Coachman: I think he needs to address the wrap-around season. That, to me, is a big detriment to the year, and I believe that an eight-month season is long enough. I dont think this will be a priority, but making these world-class players stay in the States when they can go worldwide in the fall would grow the game more than having smaller tournaments in the U.S.Collins: Clean up (settle) the lawsuits (Vijay Singh and the caddies) and come up with a schedule that allows the PGA Tour to grow globally but gives every tournament a chance to at some point have the star attractions play in their events. Two easy problems. (Wheres the sarcasm font?)Harig: As much as I would like to see Monahan jump on the slow play issue immediately, his likely immediate concern is the extension of the FedEx Cup playoff system. It is possible this is close, but Monahan will need to see it through, and that is a crucial aspect of the PGA Tour in the short term.Sobel: To an extent, there will be an if it aint broke, dont fix it mentality when Monahan takes over. The tour doesnt need any major reconstrucction, but I do think the incoming commissioner will look to tighten up the schedule. Wholesale Nike Shoes Australia. . It has lost the original plot of the FedEx Cup: to finish the season before football starts and give players a true offseason. I do think hell try to rectify this situation.3. How impressive is Pat Perezs comeback from shoulder surgery?Coachman: Amazing. Most guys at his age would not be able to ever tee it up again on the PGA Tour. At his age, to put in the work to win a PGA Tour event is incredible. He will be smart and not try to overdo it. Now that he has won, he will be able to dictate how much he plays and where he plays.Collins: His first three results coming back from injury: 33rd, seventh, win. If that doesnt impress you from a 40-year-old, then I dont know what would. Selfishly, I was rooting for Pat since hes my co-host on a SiriusXM show, but his caddie, Mike Hartford, told me months ago that this injury was the best thing that could have happened to Perezs career.Harig: Perhaps all it took was for Perez to get healthy. He tied for seventh last week in just his second start back after having missed nine cuts in his previous 12 starts prior to surgery. Still, at age 40, to come back so quickly after surgery and a lengthy layoff was never a guarantee. He has made it look easy.Sobel: Its nothing short of amazing. Were talking about a guy who played a decade and a half with just a single win on his résumé, then he immediately bounces back from shoulder surgery with his second one. For a guy who might be one of the PGA Tours all-time best quotes, maybe hell be able to explain this comeback, because it sure seems inexplicable.4. Whats your take on the Web.com Tour starting 2017 with two events in the Bahamas that will start on a Sunday and end on a Wednesday?Coachman: I am all for new ideas. And if this gets the Web.com Tour on TV not opposite other tournaments, then maybe that could be an answer. And if the popularity grows, then maybe we will see more tournaments be placed like this.Collins: If it was in the continental U.S., it would be a nightmare for getting volunteers and a crowd. Its genius to do it in the Bahamas. This gets two sets of vacationers a chance to see the tournament. Think about which days you go on vacation. The size and population of the islands make it an easy task for the infrastructure of local volunteers and the days off needed.Harig: While the Bahamas is a great place to start, the story is more about doing something not following the traditional golf mode. Ending on a Wednesday and making this more about television viewers is a great idea that should be embraced and studied more. The only odd thing about this is the week off between events. Playing them back-to-back would make even more sense.Sobel: Im all for trying stuff -- and this is another way to branch out of the box and break the mold. In last weeks Four-Ball, we talked about the European Tour potentially playing a nighttime event; now were talking about one being played on unconventional days. I love new ideas. ' ' '
Share:
