UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw v Cruz

Paully D

***Please note GMT times below ***

Date: Sunday 17th January
Times: Fight Pass Prelims (11pm, Fight Pass), Prelims (1am, Fight Pass & BT Sport 2), Main Card (3am, Fight Pass & BT Sport 2)
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Odds: Dillashaw (8/11) v Cruz (6/5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSz9uZEdwl4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V871a62h36E

martyos121

Dillashaw via Submission

Is it not on next Sunday?

Paully D

martyos121 wrote: »

Is it not on next Sunday?

Yep, that's what I put. :pac:

If a moderator could extend the date on the poll that'd be great.

BOHtox

Cruz via Submission

The poll should run until at least two days after the fight

El Guapo!

Paully D wrote: »

Yep, that's what I put. :pac:

If a moderator could extend the date on the poll that'd be great.

Extended until 17th. It'll close at 15:47 so get your picks in before that time if you want to vote on the poll.

TimRiggins

Cruz via Submission

Going for Cruz via Decision. While DJ gave Cruz problems on the feet with his speed, I can see Dominic just being able to stay out his range and use his Fight IQ to win the necessary 3 rounds. The big layoff is a concern for him but he didn't appear to have any rust in fighting Mizugaki and if anything showed improved shot selection and seemed to have more power, finishing someone who had never been finished before.

I also expect Pettis too win, Alvarez showed against Melendez that he is as tough as they come but I can see Pettis finishing him in the 2nd or 3rd.

Also really looking forward to seeing Paul Felder again. Love watching him fight.

ASOT

TimRiggins wrote: »

Going for Cruz via Decision. While DJ gave Cruz problems on the feet with his speed, I can see Dominic just being able to stay out his range and use his Fight IQ to win the necessary 3 rounds. The big layoff is a concern for him but he didn't appear to have any rust in fighting Mizugaki and if anything showed improved shot selection and seemed to have more power, finishing someone who had never been finished before.

I also expect Pettis too win, Alvarez showed against Melendez that he is as tough as they come but I can see Pettis finishing him in the 2nd or 3rd.

Also really looking forward to seeing Paul Felder again. Love watching him fight.

Pretty much spot on, love Cruz though so I'm being bias also. Have a feeling Alvarez will head back to Bellator when he loses, wouldn't imagine he has to many fights left this is possibly his last on the contract and he would make more money/win more fights back in Bellator imo. Decent card, this really will be a top year for mma by the looks of things!

Gamebred

Dillashaw via Decision

Main event will be very technical obviously,hope its not a snooze fest with the pair of them unable to find their range to tee off with each others footwork so good,



Looking forward to seeing Charles Rosa and Hettes on the prelims Rosa is a very good grappler Hettes isnt bad either so should be nice scrambles,same with Ben Saunders from eddie bravos school likes to play rubber guard.

martyos121

Dillashaw via Submission

Wow, surprised by the one sided nature of the pole so far. Not many thinking Cruz will be rusty coming straight into a title fight, I hope he pulls it off but I've gone for TJ by decision because I feel Cruz just won't be at his best given his injury nightmares. Looked great against Mizugaki but Dillashaw is on another level.

TimRiggins

Cruz via Submission

martyos121 wrote: »

Wow, surprised by the one sided nature of the pole so far. Not many thinking Cruz will be rusty coming straight into a title fight, I hope he pulls it off but I've gone for TJ by decision because I feel Cruz just won't be at his best given his injury nightmares. Looked great against Mizugaki but Dillashaw is on another level.

I'm not too convinced by TJ just yet. He beat Barao but his style of constant pressure just doesn't suit Barao who cut a massive amount of weight to get to 135. He also didn't have it all his own way against Joe Soto who was making his UFC debut and trained for a 3 round fight, Dillashaw finished him in the 5th but Soto gave a good account of himself.

He also lost got TKOed by John Dodson which also leads me to wonder about his chin too. Granted his striking is very much improved since then but I'd like to see him take a few combinations and see how he holds up.

It's a massive fight for both fighters legacy as Champions imo.

deadanonymau5

Cruz via Submission

A good video for those who dont train/new to the sport

Gamebred

Dillashaw via Decision

Anyone see this? :pac:

ASOT

Gamebred wrote: »

Anyone see this? :pac:

Any back story wot why Cruz beat the **** out for this lad? Hahaha

shanec1928

Cruz via Submission

ASOT wrote: »

Any back story wot why Cruz beat the **** out for this lad? Hahaha

Thread over on r/Mma about it.

Zero-Cool

Cruz via Submission

Would be beaming if Cruz won so picking him to win by decision. Saying that, as good as a Faber Cruz 3 would be, Faber vs TJ would be VERY tasty. Either fight could be on UFC 200.

Gamebred

Dillashaw via Decision

Niall McGrath ‏@niallmcgrath4 44s44 seconds ago
Breaking: Jimy Hettes out of #UFCBoston fight with Charles Rosa. Rosa will fight an un-named BJJ world champion and UFC newcomer. More soon



I put the mockers on that fight anyways :pac: look forward to the announcement

ASOT

Gamebred wrote: »

Niall McGrath ‏@niallmcgrath4 44s44 seconds ago
Breaking: Jimy Hettes out of #UFCBoston fight with Charles Rosa. Rosa will fight an un-named BJJ world champion and UFC newcomer. More soon



I put the mockers on that fight anyways :pac: look forward to the announcement

Mairbek Taisumov vs Chris Wade is also off, Taisumov is out and will be replaced my Mhedi from this season of TUF.

TimRiggins

Cruz via Submission

ASOT wrote: »

Mairbek Taisumov vs Chris Wade is also off, Taisumov is out and will be replaced my Mhedi from this season of TUF.

2 fights gone and a week to go, Keep Pettis and Cruz in bubblewrap please!

darced

Dillashaw via Submission

This post has been deleted.

SureYWouldntYa

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Didn't affect him against Mizugaki did it

That's one thing I don't think we'll see is ring rust

Gamebred

Dillashaw via Decision

Mizugaki isnt tj though,TJ will spam leg kicks I feel here for them knees.

MagicIRL

Cruz via Submission

Cruz by decision. I think he's too technically rounded and too fight smart to stand and trade with DJ, especially after watching what TJ did to Barao on the feet.

ASOT

Off work Monday, absolutely delighted Liverpool/United during the day to!

Subcomandante Marcos

Cruz via Submission

Faber on the MMA hour told Ariel that he was planning on being in Mexico on vacation this week but the UFC insisted that he go to Boston for the fight.

Sounds like they're gonna bring him into the cage and announce a fight if TJ wins.

martyos121

Dillashaw via Submission

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

Faber on the MMA hour told Ariel that he was planning on being in Mexico on vacation this week but the UFC insisted that he go to Boston for the fight.

Sounds like they're gonna bring him into the cage and announce a fight if TJ wins.

Even if TJ loses, they could still have Faber get the next shot at the belt. Cruz vs. Faber 3 is a pretty nice rubber match, the UFC love those.

Tox56

martyos121 wrote: »

Even if TJ loses, they could still have Faber get the next shot at the belt. Cruz vs. Faber 3 is a pretty nice rubber match, the UFC love those.

Really not interested in either of those, I wonder if Mendes could make 135, hes going to find it hard to get a title shot at 145 again for a while

BOHtox

Cruz via Submission

Tox56 wrote: »

Really not interested in either of those, I wonder if Mendes could make 135, hes going to find it hard to get a title shot at 145 again for a while

Could happen but perhaps not any time soon. I think it'll pan out something like this

Cruz fights Dillashaw -
If Dillashaw wins: Faber gets first dibs at Dillashaw for the title. If Faber wins he's champ. If TJ wins, maybe he sends Mendes down to give him a go.

If Cruz wins: Faber fights Dillashaw as a title eliminator. If Faber wins he gets to fight Cruz for the third time. If Dillashaw wins Mendes may go down to give him a go.

But all this will be a year's time. There's a story building in every division bar maybe the flyweight division. Very exciting year for UFC ahead

Swashbuckler

Cruz via Submission

BOHtox wrote: »

Could happen but perhaps not any time soon. I think it'll pan out something like this

Cruz fights Dillashaw -
If Dillashaw wins: Faber gets first dibs at Dillashaw for the title. If Faber wins he's champ. If TJ wins, maybe he sends Mendes down to give him a go.

If Cruz wins: Faber fights Dillashaw as a title eliminator. If Faber wins he gets to fight Cruz for the third time. If Dillashaw wins Mendes may go down to give him a go.

But all this will be a year's time. There's a story building in every division bar maybe the flyweight division. Very exciting year for UFC ahead

Whoever wins, Faber is next.

A Rogue Hobo

Personally, I am rooting for Cruz. But could go either way, reckon it'll be a good watch either way.

ASOT

Augusto Mendes just got signed to fill in v Rosa, great fight that.

Tox56

ASOT wrote: »

Augusto Mendes just got signed to fill in v Rosa, great fight that.

Only like 2 people have ever beaten Rafa Mendes in straight BJJ, and this guy is one of them

cloudatlas

Cruz via Submission

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh4XqGQuLGA

Jack Slack Killing the King Dillashaw v Cruz

http://fightland.vice.com/blog/killing-the-king-tj-dillashaw-and-dominick-cruz

theteal

Lads, is this one on BT? I see that it says so in the OP but I'm looking at the planner now and all it shows for the early hours of Sunday morning is UFC:beyond the octagon. Granted it's attributed a serious running time (almost identical to a night of fights) but it still gave me an initial 'dafuq?' moment!

It's bound to happen that if I set record now, the epg will correct the name before Saturday night and I'll be left without a recorded night of fights

Subcomandante Marcos

Cruz via Submission

theteal wrote: »

Lads, is this one on BT? I see that it says so in the OP but I'm looking at the planner now and all it shows for the early hours of Sunday morning is UFC:beyond the octagon. Granted it's attributed a serious running time (almost identical to a night of fights) but it still gave me an initial 'dafuq?' moment!

It's bound to happen that if I set record now, the epg will correct the name before Saturday night and I'll be left without a recorded night of fights

That's the night before the fight.

It's a Sunday card (monday morning for us).

RedemptionZ

Dillashaw via Decision

TJ win by KO/TKO and Faber to get title shot. Surprised Cruz has so many votes.

Mendes should drop down. Behind Edgar, Aldo and Holloway for a title shot. Not a huge guy so I don't think it'd be a huge struggle.

ASOT

ASOT wrote: »

Augusto Mendes just got signed to fill in v Rosa, great fight that.

Two days later and he's out with a rib injury. Gutted dying to see him in the ufc.

Zero-Cool

Cruz via Submission

For anyone who hasn't seen it, look up Cruz's open work out. Worth it just for his entrance.

SureYWouldntYa

Zero-Cool wrote: »

For anyone who hasn't seen it, look up Cruz's open work out. Worth it just for his entrance.

That was fantastic by Cruz, makes me want to see him win even more

weemcd

Cruz via Submission

Gonna watch a few Cruz fights later today or tomorrow. The man was an absolute joy to watch in his prime. TJ is too, but Cruz was doing it at the highest level long before anyone knew who TJ was.

Slightly pulling for Cruz in this, despite being a big TJ fan too.

theteal

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

That's the night before the fight.

It's a Sunday card (monday morning for us).

Ooooops

CurryFlavoured

Watching the weigh ins there, Pettis is a small-ish LW. I knew he wasn't huge, but Alvarez looked waaaaay thicker while only being about a half inch shorter. RDA was similar.

Hang on, Alvarez had shoes on apparently, so Pettis is about 2 inches taller. Still think he's lacking in strength. Looked like a tough cut for Cruz.

KingJamsie

Dillashaw via Submission

theteal wrote: »

Lads, is this one on BT? I see that it says so in the OP but I'm looking at the planner now and all it shows for the early hours of Sunday morning is UFC:beyond the octagon. Granted it's attributed a serious running time (almost identical to a night of fights) but it still gave me an initial 'dafuq?' moment!

It's bound to happen that if I set record now, the epg will correct the name before Saturday night and I'll be left without a recorded night of fights

BT Sport 2
Prelims 1am-3am
UFC Dillashaw vs Cruz 3am-5am

Whelo79

The closer the fight gets the more I'm starting to lean towards Dillashaw. I think he has the movement and footwork to keep pace with Cruz but I also think he has the more dynamic shots and punching power. I think unless Cruz can finish this early the time out of the octagon will catch up with him and Dillashaw will take over.

Kirby

I'm having trouble calling this to be honest. Should be interesting.

TimRiggins

Cruz via Submission

Kirby wrote: »

I'm having trouble calling this to be honest. Should be interesting.

My heart says Cruz to be able to find his range, use his footwork and able to take 3 of the necessary 5 to win it.

My head says Dillashaw to be faster than Dom and too land his combinations, finishing them off with power kicks, possibly finishing him.

Beersmith

This is one of the best fight night cards ive seen on paper. Pity its a sunday night though

Paully D

Fantastic card but being on a Sunday night just ruins it for me as I won't get to see it live.

Gamebred

Dillashaw via Decision

Cruz is going to make TJ look like the student and him the master,well thats what im hoping for anyways,


The wrestling in this will be interesting both teriffic wrestlers so might cancel each other out and become a kickboxing match.

TimRiggins

Cruz via Submission

Gamebred wrote: »

Cruz is going to make TJ look like the student and him the master,well thats what im hoping for anyways,


The wrestling in this will be interesting both teriffic wrestlers so might cancel each other out and become a kickboxing match.

I think Cruz will look to hit takedowns towards the second half of rounds to cement it in his favour. I think TJ will leave himself open for takedowns too.

Gamebred

Dillashaw via Decision

TimRiggins wrote: »

I think Cruz will look to hit takedowns towards the second half of rounds to cement it in his favour. I think TJ will leave himself open for takedowns too.

Hes never been taken down afaik,ill be impressed if Cruz does get him down.

ASOT

I'd be fairly confident Cruz will her atleast one takedown ^^

In other news Latifi looked absorbent jacked, I love Sean O'Connell so it's really not a fight I want to see but he's looking in tremendous shape.