McGregor has a surplus of chutzpah, but he also has an astonishing lack of a ground game. Having never fought a collegiate wrestler McGregor is a throwback to four years ago when the fighting public still bet hard on the strikers of MMA. That changed when those who owned flashy knockouts and cage-rattling theatrics were being taken down, beaten and submitted by a legion of collegiate wrestlers.
There is a simple philosophy as to why this happens. You can teach someone to duck a punch and block a kick because that's a skill, that's a technique. You can't teach just anyone to wrestle because that's a lifestyle. It's measured in years not "classes."
Like Chris Weidman beat Anderson Silva and T.J. Dillashaw destroyed Renan Barao, Chad Mendes will defeat Conor McGregor on Saturday using his wrestling, aggression and heart.
And it won't be close …
Q: Future UFC champion and 2014 Greco bronze medalist Bilyal Makhov just made a successful return to freestyle wrestling at the very tough Ali Aliyev tournament, beating his fellow transplant from Kabardino-Balkaria in the finals, former Russian national champion Muradin Kuskhov. Do you think three-time World champion in freestyle will attempt to wrestle both styles in 2015 or 2016? He says he wants to but his coaches seem to want him to focus on one style. Is it even a possibility to do both under UWW rules?
-- Coleman M.
Foley: I like the "future UFC champion" introduction. The man is one of the most gifted big men on the planet. A UFC title wouldn't fall outside the realm of possibilities. The only issue would be the UFC's acceptance of another dominating Russian. They already have their hands filled with Khabib Nurmagomedov
Makhov may compete in both styles. United World Wrestling certainly doesn't have any regulations against it, and I assume that if the Russians really think that he'd win both styles then they wouldn't hesitate.
That said I doubt the Russians would blow past Gatsalov for a guy who will then need to compete in two styles. Doubtful, but not impossible. Gatsalov had a tough European Games, which I realize forces some questions about the starting position.
Semenov, a Junior World champion, also performed poorly in the Greco-Roman portion of the European Games, failing to place. That also adds a bit of intrigue to the possibility of Makhov stepping up.
As for Makhov's viewpoint it seems that he'll be focused on Greco-Roman, but will take the call up to freestyle if the coaches request. That's unlikely, but to know that he's ready is certainly appealing.
Mark Hall won his fifth state championship this past season (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)-- Mike C.
Foley: Of course there is a chance Mark Hall won't sign with Minnesota. He's an 18-year-old boy being wooed by every major college wrestling powerhouse. Most 18-year-old's I've known are predictably unpredictable, and while Hall may be the best wrestler in all the land, I doubt that title precludes him from making a shocking choice for his college career.
Still, you are right that the rumor mill has been chirping with the idea that Hall will head to Minnesota. That's as excellent a choice as the Minnesota native could make.
Q: Any chance Jake Varner hangs up the shoes before the year before the Olympics, just like his coach Cael did in 2011?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Yes. If he loses at the Olympic Team Trials then he would almost certainly retire. I don't think that there is much motivation to give up before the Trials being that it's so close to the Olympic Games. Also, consider that he sells a popular shoe and has the support of the Penn State wrestling community. Also, he's an Olympic champion and though he's struggled, there is nothing like disappointment to motivate a return run to gold.
Cael was a much different circumstance. He'd been out of serious competition for seven years before the 2011 cycle and whatever urge he was looking to scratch seemed to find relief from that tournament.
Multimedia Halftime
Boston youth wrestling
Quick look at one of the rising stars of jiu-jitsu who also happens to love wrestling
Link: Wonderful feature on Conor McGregor with video embed too
Q: I heard a rumor a while back that Russian bear Khadzhimurat Gatsalov was contemplating an MMA career. Have you heard anything lately?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Nothing as of late, but with the end of his wrestling career in sight, I'd imagine he'd start training for a career in the cage. There are plenty of training opportunities around the world, but with the high numbers of Russians training in Thailand, I'd see him bolting to Asia.
Q: Which five wrestlers after they are currently wrestling could join Ben Askren and Henry Cejudo and make an easy transition into MMA and why?
-- Gregg Y.
Foley: Easy? Meh. I don't think there is ever an easy transition to MMA. There will be a flood of interest after the 2016 cycle and I'd imagine these five could be among that group that tests the cage after a life on the mat.
1. Dustin Kilgore
2. Daniel Dennis
3. Jordan Oliver
4. Ed Ruth
5. Kyven Gadson
Q: I follow mostly college wrestling throughout the year. When following freestyle and Greco internationally, I enjoy seeing the names I recognize from the NCAAs. While most of the non-American wrestlers are usually unknown to me, it is cool to see a wrestler from another country with a familiar name. Franklin Gomez would always pop up for Puerto Rico and I recently spotted Boris Novachkov (Bulgaria) and Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan) in the UWW rankings.
Who are some of the most recent/notable NCAA wrestlers to find success internationally with another country? Any wrestlers rumored to be going this same route eventually?
-- Matt F.
Foley: Former Northern Iowa wrestler Alex Dolly placed fifth for Ireland at the 2014 European Championships, which was that country's highest finish ever at a major tournament.
Those you named are kind of the top names and were already citizens of said country. There are others lingering about like Turtogtokh Luvsandorj and Ganbayar Sanjaa of Mongolia who need to settle into a country affiliation and get more mat time.
For the serious American wrestler there is the opportunity to transfer. However, most associate Olympic glory with national pride, but for those who might find separation there are countries that would love to welcome more talented wrestlers to their roster.
Q: Why won't UWW award one point past the 30-second shot clock and let the action continue during a shot?
-- @kreat30D
Foley: I don't know why this rules has become so confusing to follow. Think of it like basketball and you'll better understand. There are 30 seconds to SHOOT, not 30 seconds to score. In about 1/50 cases a shot at the end of the 30 seconds continues for a few moments after the clock, but only when the attacking wrestler is pressing.
In your scenario there is a reduced incentive to wrestle hard for 30 seconds since the action will continue after the whistle. This rule, along with the pushout rule, has been a keystone to the success of freestyle wrestling the past two years. Matches are high scoring, wrestlers are aggressive and the over-tactical gamesmanship has been eliminated. Tweaking that now would only cause unnecessary confusion, and almost certainly a return to hyper gamesmanship.
Q: What are your thoughts on redshirting after a year or more of experience? Any stats on doing better/worse after the redshirt year?
-- @dmarble33
Foley: There are a variety of reasons for starting a freshman. There are an equal number of motivations for sitting them out. One of the best reasons I've heard for starting a freshman is that most will stay as serious in college as they had been in high school. Drop off in college happens when wrestlers find drinking, dining hall food and robust social calendars. For some it's a side distraction, while for others it becomes a main focus.
In my opinion there are many more wrestlers in need of a year on the mat as a freshman than in need of a year in the bars. College is about learning how to learn and one of the great benefits to competing young is that it reduces the amount of time youngsters have to goof off, and when they do it comes at a cost. Time management and learning the true consequences of partying, staying up late and eating unhealthy are best witnessed under pressure.
Unless you're certain that the redshirting freshman will stay out of trouble and on the mats I'd recommend that most join the team in year one and feel the pressure of a season as a college wrestler.
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