Lombard is going to be another stumbling block for Nate and as harsh as it might be it could send him to WSOF. Lombard is a fighter Ive still loads of faith in. He is still someone I see flashes of brilliance in and he is suppose to have cut his walk around weight from 220lbs to 190lbs, (roughtly what GSP walks around at). I think Lombard is going to live up to that Lightning nickname and we will see more speed and movement about him.
His two losses in UFC were to former Lhw's and SD's at that. He still has great wins and people think he hasnt cut it at UFC level. Prangley for example is on a 7 fight run after the Lombard loss, fighting between Hw and Lhw. Jesse Taylor is on a 6 fight run, and these are both currently UFC calibre fighters IMO. Shlemenko is UFC level for sure a Bellator Mw champ Mw whos only loss in 17 fights was Lombard... I think there a lot of people who forget what Lombard can do and I think he will run through Nate.
Nate matches up well enough with some guys, destroyed Kampmann and Maia but Lombard can throw him about or bang him up on the feet, the power difference will really tell and Im seeing a brutal KO. Lombard will get a crack at GSP I reckon.
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Nog vs Struve, I dont know 25 might still be too young for Struve to take this big a step up. Nog is going downhill but I dont know if Struve has improved enough to beat him. I could see a 265lbs or above Struve coming in soon and when that kid starts packing on a bit of weight and power he will start climbing the ranks.
(assuming he will always be able to healthily make weight)
Struves boxing is still a weakeness, all his KO's have been standing throwing hands. He hasnt got to grips with using his size yet. Jon Jones would beat him to the jab all night and not just because he is faster he just knows how to use what he has got.
People Land on Struve, such a tall fighter he gets hit plenty but then again so does Nog, maby another Herring headkick that Nog has to come back from the head to fight on? Either way im looking forward to this, I think Nog is favorite in my head because of struves boxing defence.
Hard to say because I dont think Nog has long left as a fighter, another Loss will retire him and certainly take him out of relevance. Its not unthinkable that a 7" 260lbs 25year old could do it!
His two losses in UFC were to former Lhw's and SD's at that. He still has great wins and people think he hasnt cut it at UFC level. Prangley for example is on a 7 fight run after the Lombard loss, fighting between Hw and Lhw. Jesse Taylor is on a 6 fight run, and these are both currently UFC calibre fighters IMO. Shlemenko is UFC level for sure a Bellator Mw champ Mw whos only loss in 17 fights was Lombard... I think there a lot of people who forget what Lombard can do and I think he will run through Nate.
Nate matches up well enough with some guys, destroyed Kampmann and Maia but Lombard can throw him about or bang him up on the feet, the power difference will really tell and Im seeing a brutal KO. Lombard will get a crack at GSP I reckon.
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Nog vs Struve, I dont know 25 might still be too young for Struve to take this big a step up. Nog is going downhill but I dont know if Struve has improved enough to beat him. I could see a 265lbs or above Struve coming in soon and when that kid starts packing on a bit of weight and power he will start climbing the ranks.
(assuming he will always be able to healthily make weight)
Struves boxing is still a weakeness, all his KO's have been standing throwing hands. He hasnt got to grips with using his size yet. Jon Jones would beat him to the jab all night and not just because he is faster he just knows how to use what he has got.
People Land on Struve, such a tall fighter he gets hit plenty but then again so does Nog, maby another Herring headkick that Nog has to come back from the head to fight on? Either way im looking forward to this, I think Nog is favorite in my head because of struves boxing defence.
Hard to say because I dont think Nog has long left as a fighter, another Loss will retire him and certainly take him out of relevance. Its not unthinkable that a 7" 260lbs 25year old could do it!