Junior Dos Santos vs Ben Rothwell: Cigano’s Victory with Measured Boxing (Skill Breakdown)

[strikingthoughts]

​

I went back to study Junior Dos Santos vs Ben Rothwell for more details on what went down. The fight was pretty transparent but here’s a breakdown of the fight for anyone interested in knowing more about the skills used.


Junior Dos Santos vs Ben Rothwell: Cigano’s Victory with Measured Boxing (Skill Breakdown)


Quick summary points of the piece.

• Flaws in Rothwell’s stance
• Effective boxing strategies by Dos Santos
• Things Rothwell did well
• Benefits of Dos Santos’ stance
• Gif of them mimicking each other in the fight

Alright, thanks for reading my TMMAC bros.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Thomas Almeida vs Cody Garbrandt plays out. I've been wanting write about these guys with the what I have on them so far, but with time constraints, I might aim to write about them after they fight instead ( I feel like I need to discuss about why Almeida tends to get caught).

Final note​

I don't normally bet on fights, but for the heavyweight division, it's a pretty scary deal to bet on a division where all the fighters can easily knock each other out even if they're losing technically. I wasn't even betting on the fight but I was still clenching my buttcheeks anxious over a flash ko from either guy.

 

[PeteyParker]

Great post, HW fights don't really peak my interest much but that was a great performance by JDS.

- What In your opinion happens if TJ goes heavy leg kicks in the first 2 rounds instead of loading up and chasing the K.O vs Cruz and could that completely change the outcome of the fight?

- if JDS applied this style vs Overeem in a rematch is the fight then a coin flip or is the Reem still favored?

 

[TheAwkwardTitan]

Ben had em on the ropes the entire fight. BS decision.

 

[Ted Williams' head]

It was a beautiful display of boxing by JDS. The jab to the body is a lost art even in boxing, elite guys like Mayweather and Ward (who admitted he got it from Mayweather) show how effective it is, and to see a HW MMA fighter using it so effectively was great. Rothwell could never get set because JDS had the jab in his face and moved off to the side before he could do anything. And those body shots, god damn, they stole all his energy, he was driving on fumes from round 4 on.

Great stuff, I was really impressed. I wish we saw that JDS against Overeem, I think it would have been a different outcome.

 

[1372]

Just ask @teamquestnorth

He knows the battlefield.

 

[Qat]

- if JDS applied this style vs Overeem in a rematch is the fight then a coin flip or is the Reem still favored?

Think about the losses Overeem had, and how they came to pass. It seems like luring him in and counter hard is the safest bet, and imho that's pretty much what JDS tried in their first match, it just didn't come into fruition.

That being said, I wouldn't mind seeing a rematch with JDS trying to go toe to toe with him. Overeem has seen it all though, and his attacks are much more versatile, I think he would punish JDS' body a lot if they fought like that.

 

[Robbie Hart]

Ben had em on the ropes the entire fight. BS decision.

I'm a Big Ben fan but he got beat.......unfortunate as it is I can admit it.

 

[Robbie Hart]

I like the bulletpoint summary @strikingthoughts , nice analysis

 

[The EZ Life]

Great post, HW fights don't really peak my interest much but that was a great performance by JDS.

- What In your opinion happens if TJ goes heavy leg kicks in the first 2 rounds instead of loading up and chasing the K.O vs Cruz and could that completely change the outcome of the fight?

- if JDS applied this style vs Overeem in a rematch is the fight then a coin flip or is the Reem still favored?

TJ will get destroyed no matter what he does....

I'm probably wrong saying that but I don't see Cruz losing to TJ.

 

[strikingthoughts]

Great post, HW fights don't really peak my interest much but that was a great performance by JDS.

- What In your opinion happens if TJ goes heavy leg kicks in the first 2 rounds instead of loading up and chasing the K.O vs Cruz and could that completely change the outcome of the fight?

- if JDS applied this style vs Overeem in a rematch is the fight then a coin flip or is the Reem still favored?

I believe it's very possible that TJ could accumulate enough damage to stifle the footwork of Cruz. You take away Cruz's footwork, you take away the essence of what makes him a great fighter. At the same time, Cruz is a smart guy and knows people will target his leg. He's drilled multiple ways to punish leg kicks to deter their use and we saw that in his fight with TJ. If you know something is a big weakness in your game, the best thing to do is develop good answers to anyone who attempts to exploit it.

with strikes

with takedowns

Even when you try to time a kick as Cruz moves forward, he's smart enough to recognize the pattern and bait the kick out of you with feints.

One thing I noticed about Cruz from his fights is that he is hard to kick. It's possible to damage his legs, but expect his IQ to have an answer. If he fought Jose Aldo, it could prove to be a different story.

Doing a future piece on keys to dealing with Cruz style might be interesting down the line.



As for JDS vs Overeem again, I'm not to sure. I usually like to go back to study their most recent fights to see how their styles have changed. I've done that with Overeem, but not JDS yet. I can't give a clear answer, but from what we know so far, Overeem's offensive approach was hard to counter since Overeem constantly looked to move off to JDS' weak angle. JDS is using that jab much more skillfully now which could yield different results in a rematch.

also, when JDS used feints against a stationary Rothwell, he saw a reaction and exploited it. When JDS used feints against Overeem, Overeem ended up evading the pocket completely and essentially reset the stand up. This forced JDS to try again at something that would work. It's like playing chess, and you don't like the move your opponent made so you just toss the board off the table, and reset to start new.

 

[strikingthoughts]

It was a beautiful display of boxing by JDS. The jab to the body is a lost art even in boxing, elite guys like Mayweather and Ward (who admitted he got it from Mayweather) show how effective it is, and to see a HW MMA fighter using it so effectively was great. Rothwell could never get set because JDS had the jab in his face and moved off to the side before he could do anything. And those body shots, god damn, they stole all his energy, he was driving on fumes from round 4 on.

Great stuff, I was really impressed. I wish we saw that JDS against Overeem, I think it would have been a different outcome.

JDS really redefined the body jab for that division in this fight. It doesn't have a lot of power, but if you're using it to control the guard and to jam the opponent's momentum, it proves pretty useful. I personally don't use it often out of the fear of eating a straight knee or kick.

I remember trying it on thai boxers the first time, they sensed it like a shark sensing blood. next thing you know, Knees and kicks we're flying passed my head.

 

[Qat]

It's like playing chess, and you don't like the move your opponent made so you just toss the board off the table, and reset to start new.

That is not how chess works.

 

[Ted Williams' head]

JDS really redefined the body jab for that division in this fight. It doesn't have a lot of power, but if you're using it to control the guard and to jam the opponent's momentum, it proves pretty useful. I personally don't use it often out of the fear of eating a straight knee or kick.

I remember trying it on thai boxers the first time, they sensed it like a shark sensing blood. next thing you know, Knees and kicks we're flying passed my head.

Yeah maybe not the smartest punch to use against a good muay thai guy hahah.

But god damn, if you got the right guy in front of you like Big Ben who's a sitting duck for it, you can really sap a guy's energy with it.

Mayweather totally controlled the Corrales fight with it, even dropped a guy with a jab to the body early in his career hahaha

 

[strikingthoughts]

Yeah maybe not the smartest punch to use against a good muay thai guy hahah.

But god damn, if you got the right guy in front of you like Big Ben who's a sitting duck for it, you can really sap a guy's energy with it.

Mayweather totally controlled the Corrales fight with it, even dropped a guy with a jab to the body early in his career hahaha

Those are great examples, dude! Lets see how we'll it will work against Overeem.

 

[PeteyParker]

TJ will get destroyed no matter what he does....

I'm probably wrong saying that but I don't see Cruz losing to TJ.

I could definitely see TJ taking the belt. I first scored it for Cruz cause I've been watching him fight for a long time and celebrate big time that night.

However judging that fight based on what Conor Reubush and John McCarthy(who had input on writing the rules) said it's very possibly to make a solid argument for TJ. The scoring criteria is based on effective striking, effective grappling and octagon control(in that order).

With that known a takedown is just a takedown, unless there is impact, does damage like a slam or it's what you do with the takedown like controlling the opponent this was stated by Big John. Cruz had takedowns but did minimal to nothing with it.

The other thing is making an opponent miss strikes or evading them isn't supposed to be factored in judging a fight. So then whoever landed the most effective striking should've won, the Heavy Hands podcast made some good arguments, I would have to rewatch it in slow-mo to give a better opinion, I just don't feel like searching a bunch of stuff and making a solid argument for TJ atm.

To me it's a coin flip fight or slightly favoring TJ without bias, since the first was so competitive.

 

[The EZ Life]

I could definitely see TJ taking the belt. I first scored it for Cruz cause I've been watching him fight for a long time and celebrate big time that night.

However judging that fight based on what Conor Reubush and John McCarthy(who had input on writing the rules) said it's very possibly to make a solid argument for TJ. The scoring criteria is based on effective striking, effective grappling and octagon control(in that order).

With that known a takedown is just a takedown, unless there is impact, does damage like a slam or it's what you do with the takedown like controlling the opponent this was stated by Big John. Cruz had takedowns but did minimal to nothing with it.

The other thing is making an opponent miss strikes or evading them isn't supposed to be factored in judging a fight. So then whoever landed the most effective striking should've won, the Heavy Hands podcast made some good arguments, I would have to rewatch it in slow-mo to give a better opinion, I just don't feel like searching a bunch of stuff and making a solid argument for TJ atm.

To me it's a coin flip fight or slightly favoring TJ without bias, since the first was so competitive.

striking is ineffective when the opponent makes them miss / evades them

 

[Kingtony87]

striking is ineffective when the opponent makes them miss / evades them

Very much agree with this. Besides cruz outlanded tj as well. Aggression or striking are not effective if you don't land.

 

[La Paix]

@strikingthoughts you open to taking requests for future breakdowns?

Who did you pick for Weidman vs Rockhold 1 and what is your prediction for #2? What adjustments do you see being made on both sides? Same questions for Conor vs Nate and Jose vs Frankie. Lots of interesting rematches ahead.

 

[PeteyParker]

striking is ineffective when the opponent makes them miss / evades them

Sure, but it's not part the scoring criteria and it's not like Cruz got hit zero times. Effective striking is actually who lands the more damaging strikes, except Big John had to put effective striking cause the commission wouldn't accept it (it's on one of he's podcast, its specifically stated in the fight after Lawler/Condit). The rules differ from boxing.

Gotta check who landed more, but it was close.

 

[strikingthoughts]

@strikingthoughts you open to taking requests for future breakdowns?

Who did you pick for Weidman vs Rockhold 1 and what is your prediction for #2? What adjustments do you see being made on both sides? Same questions for Conor vs Nate and Jose vs Frankie. Lots of interesting rematches ahead.

For sure. I'm open to exploring fighters people are interested in. At the moment, I'm putting a hold on producing breakdowns to focus on school. Once and a while, a fight catches my interest.

I normally don't like to pick fights mainly because I believe fighters can come in with new skills and approaches that we don't expect. Conor vs Nate was a perfect example since his style adjusted dramatically on fight day. The only real time any of my match-up breakdowns were accurate was when Cruz fought TJ. You just never know if a fighter will decide to do something new. I think I'll try to address as much of your questions as I can if I can ever find time to study their fights enough.

As for Conor vs Nate, I don't question that Conor has the skills to beat Nate--it's actually Conor's maturity and intentions that I worry about. Also, I've been wanting to study Frankie Edgar to shed some light on how he's or if he even adjusted at all ever since losing to Aldo.

For Weidman vs Rockhold, I personally feel like Firas Zahabi can do a better breakdown of your questions. He'll most likely do an assessment on this fight like he normally does. Rockhold has solid stand up but also mixes in a lot of wrestling too. I've only been studying his signature stand up skills for a short while.

I was exploring the idea of dong writing pieces on shutting down fighter's signature moves but decided not to. I did write a piece on shutting down Rockhold's signature check hook but decided not to share it at all on any MMA website. Some users were able to find it on my site somehow but if you want to skim over it sometime, i'll post the link.

 

[La Paix]

For sure. I'm open to exploring fighters people are interested in. At the moment, I'm putting a hold on producing breakdowns to focus on school. Once and a while, a fight catches my interest.

I normally don't like to pick fights mainly because I believe fighters can come in with new skills and approaches that we don't expect. Conor vs Nate was a perfect example since his style adjusted dramatically on fight day. The only real time any of my match-up breakdowns were accurate was when Cruz fought TJ. You just never know if a fighter will decide to do something new. I think I'll try to address as much of your questions as I can if I can ever find time to study their fights enough.

As for Conor vs Nate, I don't question that Conor has the skills to beat Nate--it's actually Conor's maturity and intentions that I worry about. Also, I've been wanting to study Frankie Edgar to shed some light on how he's or if he even adjusted at all ever since losing to Aldo.

For Weidman vs Rockhold, I personally feel like Firas Zahabi can do a better breakdown of your questions. He'll most likely do an assessment on this fight like he normally does. Rockhold has solid stand up but also mixes in a lot of wrestling too. I've only been studying his signature stand up skills for a short while.

I was exploring the idea of dong writing pieces on shutting down fighter's signature moves but decided not to. I did write a piece on shutting down Rockhold's signature check hook but decided not to share it at all on any MMA website. Some users were able to find it on my site somehow but if you want to skim over it sometime, i'll post the link.

Would like to it read it, link would be perfect.

 

[TheAwkwardTitan]

I'm a Big Ben fan but he got beat.......unfortunate as it is I can admit it.

He was controlling the octagon the entire fight. There's no way he won. Maybe on points, but pride rules he had that fight easily.

 

[strikingthoughts]

Would like to it read it, link would be perfect.

Gotcha.

 

[Robbie Hart]

He was controlling the octagon the entire fight. There's no way he won. Maybe on points, but pride rules he had that fight easily.

I'm with you, I think if you pull a Carlos condit Nick Diaz (now known as jds Big Ben) you lose one point each round for running like a child so in reality Big Ben was a 50-45 winner........but judges reward runners unfortunately as you are allowed to run and hide to win a fight.....I heard Ariel say that was one of jds' most dominating performances, I busted out laughing and almost crashed my car while doiing 90 mph......

 

[TheAwkwardTitan]

I'm with you, I think if you pull a Carlos condit Nick Diaz (now known as jds Big Ben) you lose one point each round for running like a child so in reality Big Ben was a 50-45 winner........but judges reward runners unfortunately as you are allowed to run and hide to win a fight.....I heard Ariel say that was one of jds' most dominating performances, I busted out laughing and almost crashed my car while doiing 90 mph......

Hey!....... I thought I was the one trolling here.