5 of the best mid-fight tactical adjustments in UFC title fights
There is no occasion more important to a UFC fighter than a title fight in the promotion. For the challenger, it represents the sum of their hard work in their division and marks their one chance to realize their professional dream and potentially change their life.
Meanwhile, for the reigning champion, it marks the moment a fellow roster member tries to take their dream away from them, to undo their life's work by robbing them of the accolade, opportunities and wealth they earned fairly. Thus, every fighter does everything in their power to win.
They prepare, train, and devise gameplans with their coaches. But fights are chaotic, and sometimes they do not go according to plan. In such cases, fighters either lose or make a mid-fight tactical adjustment to win.
#5. Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes, UFC 269
UFC 296 is often remembered as the stage of a fluke. However, when Julianna Peña defeated Amanda Nunes, she did so with an actual tactical adjustment that caused 'The Lioness' to alter her entire stance come their rematch. Nunes is extraordinarily powerful and works well with combinations.
However, her combinations are built off of her jab. In short, if she can hit her opponent with her jab, then she can land a follow-up right hand. After a difficult start to the fight, Peña realized this and began interrupting Nunes' jab with a jab of her own, jabbing with the then women's bantamweight titleholder.
Check out Julianna Peña beating Amanda Nunes:
This proved so effective that Nunes was out of ideas by round two. She couldn't string together any combinations and was stung on her way in so many times that it chipped away at her confidence and left her stunned. Peña then secured a bodylock, dragged her to the mat, and submitted her with a rear-naked choke.
#4. T.J. Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt, UFC 217
Ahead of UFC 217, Cody Garbrandt looked unstoppable as the newly-minted bantamweight champion. He was undefeated and had dethroned the 135-pound GOAT himself, Dominick Cruz. His next foe, T.J. Dillashaw, however, would be 'No Love's' undoing. Garbrandt's striking was widely praised after his win over Cruz.
He was blindingly fast, brutally powerful, and had counterpunches at the ready. In fact, he almost ended Dillashaw's night in round one of their bout, knocking him down at the horn. However, Dillashaw's corner had keyed in on something about Garbrandt: he didn't actually set up his counters. Instead, he waited and pounced.
Check out T.J. Dillashaw TKO'ing Cody Garbrandt:
It was why Dillashaw's kicks weren't landing. Every time he tried to set up a kick, the setup itself informed Garbrandt of the kick's imminent arrival, allowing him to prepare and counter. Dillashaw was advised to throw naked kicks instead to catch 'No Love' off-guard, and it worked, as he knocked him down with a high kick.
Later, he also realized that Garbrandt, who often dropped his rear hand in the pocket, had no defense there, swinging wildly and relying on speed and power. So, Dillashaw drew him into a pocket boxing exchange and scored a knockdown as Garbrandt dropped his hand. Seconds later, he was awarded the TKO.
#3. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje, UFC 254
Justin Gaethje was supposed to be Khabib Nurmagomedov's toughest test, at least if the Dagestani's detractors were to be believed. Much stock was placed in Gaethje's NCAA Division I wrestling credentials. Many, including Gaethje himself, did not believe Nurmagomedov could take him down, much less control him.
Come UFC 254, however, Nurmagomedov found a chink in Gaethje's armor. Like many wrestlers who transition into MMA, Gaethje carried over the fear of having his back pinned to the mat, which could spell a loss in wrestling. So, his takedown defense consisted of him turning onto his stomach, exposing his back.
Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov submitting Justin Gaethje:
Throughout round one, Gaethje proved difficult to take down, as he either sprawled or fought for underhooks. While Nurmagomedov scored a takedown in the dying seconds, it didn't matter. He had lost the round. In round two, however, he decided to attack Gaethje's habit of exposing his own back.
After shooting for another takedown, Gaethje turned onto his stomach, and Nurmagomedov immediately transitioned to back-mount. From there, he worked his way to top mount and secured a triangle choke for the submission win.
#2. Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier 2, UFC 241
Daniel Cormier was almost always the shorter man in his fights. To counter his opponent's reach advantage, he fought with his arms extended forward to hand-trap their jabs and use his shocking speed to throw looping counters over the top. He did this to great effect throughout his days as a UFC double champion.
When facing Stipe Miocic, whom he had dethroned as heavyweight champion, in a rematch, he was finally made to pay for his habit. Miocic struggled initially, losing the early rounds before he began to find himself in the fight slowly. Eventually, he realized something about Cormier's solution to his reach disadvantage.
Check out Stipe Miocic TKO'ing Daniel Cormier:
Cormier's arms being extended in front of him meant that his midsection was hyper-exposed to body shots. So, in round four, Miocic blasted Cormier with hooks and uppercuts to the liver, landing eleven of them until 'DC' nearly folded. From there, Miocic melted him with a combination against the fence for the TKO win.
#1. Henry Cejudo vs. Marlon Moraes, UFC 238
At UFC 238, Henry Cejudo took on a daunting challenge, as he moved up to bantamweight in pursuit of two-division championship glory. He faced then-feared 135-pound knockout artist Marlon Moraes for the vacant title, and many believed the event would be the Brazilian's coronation.
Cejudo, who fought from a wide, bladed karate stance, bounced back and forth, trying to draw Moraes into lunging forward so that he could explode forward at the same time with a right straight. Instead, Moraes battered Cejudo with kicks, punishing him for his wide stance, which left his lead leg exposed to low kicks.
Similarly, his sideward body was exposed to body kicks. In short, round one was lopsided, and Moraes seemed like the certain winner. Cejudo was forced to make a change and reverted to his old boxing stance to smother his foe's kicks and pressure him back, as throwing kicks while moving backward is suboptimal.
Check out Henry Cejudo TKO'ing Marlon Moraes:
It worked, and Cejudo's shorter arms served him well in the pocket boxing exchanges he forced. Before long, Moraes was exhausted, battered, and at his limit. In round three, 'Triple C' scored the eventual TKO win, which remains one of the greatest examples of a mid-fight adjustment.