Forgotten Game Plan in Melbourne
In fighting finding the right strategy can make a world of difference and in the UFC that is even truer as the level of fighting is so great a game plan is essential.
The UFC has the most talent in the world of fighting and that means that there are tighter matchups in that promotion than anywhere else.
It is truly a promotion where anyone can win at any moment because the talent level is just that high.
When the talent is so great every fighter needs to find a new way to get around the best of the best.
The easiest, legal, way to get that advantage is to work on a game plan that can use your talents and expose your opponent’s weaknesses.
A good plan in a fight can truly make a difference despite the fact that both fighters are so evenly matched.
A great striker can create a plan that attempts to keep the fight on the feet especially if they are facing a fighter who prefers the ground game.
They will constantly work on their takedown defence and while honing their ability to strike and create damage.
On the other side, the wrestler will look to take the fight to the ground as they work on their stand-up to at least hold their own when the fight starts and work on techniques to get the takedown in order to bring the fight where they want it to go.
Whoever is successful in their game plan will usually win the fight and the fighter who doesn’t execute will take the loss.
That may be the biggest challenge for every coach and their fighter as getting a fighter to work with the game plan when they are in trouble is a tough task.
A fighter can walk into the octagon with the best game plan they can think of and one that likely would have been very successful.
Then they start to get hit or things start going the wrong way and all of a sudden that game plan goes out the window.
It doesn’t matter how great a game plan is the execution of the game plan is the most important part of any fight.
Both Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson came into their main event fight at UFC Fight Night 101 with game plans that they thought were going to be successful.
Judging by how both fight the game plan likely involved a lot of stand up work which to many would have been trouble for the Australian.
After all, Brunson had made his way on a five-fight win streak with his great striking including four knockout wins.
It was clear that he wanted to go into the fight looking for another knockout win against Whittaker.
The Australian does believe in his hands though with his five fight win streak including two knockout wins.
Most people would give the advantage to Brunson in that game though and Brunson looked to prove that while Whittaker hoped to show just how good he could be on the feet.
The two fighters entered the octagon with their game plans in their mind and from the start both went opposite ways.
It seemed like Whittaker stayed cool and composed from the start of the fight looking to box with Brunson and find his spots.
Brunson may have entirely abandoned his game plan as he went straight for Whittaker from the opening bell.
Whether it was his game plan or just a switch he made when those octagon doors closed it turned out to be a bad strategy.
Whittaker continued to move throughout the first round while Brunson dived towards him looking to end the night early with one punch.
Although he got close Brunson couldn’t land that shot and Whittaker kept his game plan in mind finding the proper shots to get to Brunson.
Eventually, those shots landed more frequently and before the first round ended the fight was over with Whittaker earning the knockout.
The loss ended the win streak for Brunson and sends him back to the drawing board where he will look to gain back his momentum.
For Whittaker, the win is a big one but he will need to fight a lot more if he wants to move up as a six-fight win streak is great but spread over only a couple of fights a year won’t cut it.
If he gets more active the Aussie could be in the title conversation soon but he needs to keep that win streak going.
The Sport Addiction 