How would 2019 Bader fare against the UFC’s LHWs?

[Dick Niaz]

Simple discussion topic. All things being equal, if Bellator’s champ-champ were inserted into UFC’s LHW division, where would he rank? Who would he beat? Who would he lose to?

I would say
definitely top 5;
possibly top three;
definitely not champ;
would certainly lose to Jones and DC,l;
would probably beat Smith

 

[Filthy]

Probably right around the Top5.

But I think that he's an easy stylistic match-up for all the guys in the Top 5 except Gus.

 

[Pitbull9]

His confidence is at an all time high and he seems really comfortable right now. I think he could def be top 3.

 

[La Paix]

Top ten but I think he'd have tough fights against top 5.

 

[ECC170]

12-4 losing to Gus,DC and Reyes and jbj

 

[Sheepdog]

Seems pretty clear to me. He's earned the right to be seen as the 3rd or 4th best LHW on the planet, no real question. He loses to Jones and DC, probably but not definitely loses to Gus and probably beats everyone else.

You can't sit there with a straight face and say fucking Jan Blachowicz, Anthony Smith or Volkan deserve to be ranked higher.

 

[Sheepdog]

Probably right around the Top5.

But I think that he's an easy stylistic match-up for all the guys in the Top 5 except Gus.

Lol at Bader being an 'easy' matchup for Blachowicz or Anthony Smith. He would be a heavy betting favorite against both.

 

[Onetrickpony]

I’m not saying he’s on anything but Bellator doesn’t have the testing the UFC does. I’d be curious to see if he looked the same if he came back to the UFC.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

Who has Bader beat in Bellasnore that would even be in the top 15 in the UFC?

 

[Filthy]

Lol at Bader being an 'easy' matchup for Blachowicz or Anthony Smith. He would be a heavy betting favorite against both.

because he has name-recognition and a Bellator belt. But Smith and Jan are both excellent grapplers and dynamic strikers.
Ryan is very linear in his entries. I'm not saying his striking is rudimentary, but it's not as good as Jan or Anthony.
Gus would be the best match-up for Bader in the UFC Top 5, and even then Gus might be the betting favorite.

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

because he has name-recognition and a Bellator belt. But Smith and Jan are both excellent grapplers and dynamic strikers.
Ryan is very linear in his entries. I'm not saying his striking is rudimentary, but it's not as good as Jan or Anthony.
Gus would be the best match-up for Bader in the UFC Top 5, and even then Gus might be the betting favorite.

There is a reason Bader isnt in the UFC anymore and its not all over money. If he believed he had a chance at UFC gold he would have never left.

 

[Sheepdog]

because he has name-recognition and a Bellator belt. But Smith and Jan are both excellent grapplers and dynamic strikers.
Ryan is very linear in his entries. I'm not saying his striking is rudimentary, but it's not as good as Jan or Anthony.
Gus would be the best match-up for Bader in the UFC Top 5, and even then Gus might be the betting favorite.

This is really poor analysis. Gus is the best wrestler of the 3 and Bader is highly unlikely to outstrike him. He is without doubt the worst matchup of the 3 on paper.

 

[BrunoMcGyver]

Probably top 3-4 but I think he`d have a strong possibility at winning the HW belt if Cormier was not in the picture.

 

[Rambo John J]

he is a beast
anybody fighting good comp that size can lose any fight
Bader beats a lot of UFC HW and LHW

 

[HEATH VON DOOM]

he is a beast
anybody fighting good comp that size can lose any fight
Bader beats a lot of UFC HW and LHW

Typical passive aggressive Rambo post. There are alot of HWs and LHWs in the UFC. Of course he can beat alot of them. He isnt even coming close to a title shot much less winning one.

 

[SuperPig]

Same as when he left the UFC.

Top 5 but never beating the top few.

 

[Rambo John J]

Typical passive aggressive Rambo post. There are alot of HWs and LHWs in the UFC. Of course he can beat alot of them. He isnt even coming close to a title shot much less winning one.

lol
passive aggressive to who?
why so salty boss?

 

[steroid to heaven]

usada defeats ufc bader

 

[Filthy]

This is really poor analysis. Gus is the best wrestler of the 3 and Bader is highly unlikely to outstrike him. He is without doubt the worst matchup of the 3 on paper.

that's why I watch fights. Bader would put Gus on his back faster than Bones did, and Gus wouldn't get up.

Anthony and Jan are much more difficult, and balanced, styles to deal with. Gus is a boxer with excellent TD defense, but a TD defense that's been overcome by the same type of takedowns that Bader utilizes. Jones literally took Gus down with a linear double-leg.

Bader clinches Gus against the cage for 5 minutes to suck out his power and hits a double-leg to start the 2nd.
Bader by merciless GnP.

Look at who has beaten Gus:

Jon Jones (JuCo National Champion, juiced to the GILLS)
Daniel Cormier (2X Olympic Team, NCAA Div I National Runner-Up: because Cael Sanderson)
Anthony Johnson (JuCo national champion wrestler)
Phil Davis (NCAA Div I National Champ/Runner-Up)

and Gus is the guy you're picking to beat a Championship wrestler with KO Hands?

I don't think I'll be looking at the paper any time soon, fren.

 

[Haulport]

This is really poor analysis. Gus is the best wrestler of the 3 and Bader is highly unlikely to outstrike him. He is without doubt the worst matchup of the 3 on paper.

I agree. Why on earth would a man (Gus) who is 3 inches taller than Bader (and fights tall), has a 5" reach advantage, has good enough boxing to make Jones keep him at kicking distance and great take-down defense be a good match-up for Bader?????

 

[Haulport]

that's why I watch fights. Bader would put Gus on his back faster than Bones did, and Gus wouldn't get up.

Anthony and Jan are much more difficult, and balanced, styles to deal with. Gus is a boxer with excellent TD defense, but a TD defense that's been overcome by the same type of takedowns that Bader utilizes. Jones literally took Gus down with a linear double-leg.

Bader clinches Gus against the cage for 5 minutes to suck out his power and hits a double-leg to start the 2nd.
Bader by merciless GnP.

Look at who has beaten Gus:

Jon Jones (JuCo National Champion, juiced to the GILLS)
Daniel Cormier (2X Olympic Team, NCAA Div I National Runner-Up: because Cael Sanderson)
Anthony Johnson (JuCo national champion wrestler)
Phil Davis (NCAA Div I National Champ/Runner-Up)

and Gus is the guy you're picking to beat a Championship wrestler with KO Hands?

I don't think I'll be looking at the paper any time soon, fren.

• Jones didn't out wrestle him for 85% of their fights
• Johnson didn't out-wrestle him. He clubbed him after head-butting him.
• And Phil Davis got to Gus and then they trained together resulting in Gus stopping every Jones take-down...

 

[Sheepdog]

that's why I watch fights. Bader would put Gus on his back faster than Bones did, and Gus wouldn't get up.

Anthony and Jan are much more difficult, and balanced, styles to deal with. Gus is a boxer with excellent TD defense, but a TD defense that's been overcome by the same type of takedowns that Bader utilizes. Jones literally took Gus down with a linear double-leg.

Bader clinches Gus against the cage for 5 minutes to suck out his power and hits a double-leg to start the 2nd.
Bader by merciless GnP.

Look at who has beaten Gus:

Jon Jones (JuCo National Champion, juiced to the GILLS)
Daniel Cormier (2X Olympic Team, NCAA Div I National Runner-Up: because Cael Sanderson)
Anthony Johnson (JuCo national champion wrestler)
Phil Davis (NCAA Div I National Champ/Runner-Up)

and Gus is the guy you're picking to beat a Championship wrestler with KO Hands?

I don't think I'll be looking at the paper any time soon, fren.

This is incredible logic.

Ryan Bader can beat Gus more easily than Jan or Smith because Gus lost to 4 elite fighters that Jan or Smith have never fought - because until recently they've been losing to lower-level competition and never been in a position to get a fight with those elite fighters?

Bader can easily take down Gus but can't easily take down Jan who Gus could easily take down? Bader can easily take down Gus but can't easily take down a guy who has been dominated by various lower-tier fighters at a lower weight class?

Amazing.

 

[Tiiimmmaaayyy]

Bader would be top 5. He can't be pulsing Jon and he can't beat DC. Gus beats any man alive who isn't cheating.

 

[Sheepdog]

Ryan Bader can beat Gus because Gus lost to Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier, Rumble Johnson and Phil Davis.

Ryan Bader can't beat Anthony Smith, because Smith only lost to Chuck Parmalee, Charley Lynch, Brian Monahan, Chaun Sims, Mike Pitz, Jake Hecht, Jesse Forbes, and 6 other guys you may or may not have actually heard of.

It's just science.

 

[Buff Bagginz]

I believe that Bader should remain at HW. His wrestling, speed, size and that killer left jab/hook translate well there.