Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor Pre-Fight Analysis - Firas Zahabi

[@The_Mass_Debator]

Respect from Ireland Firas

[@CoachZahabi]

Paul Reilly thank u!

[@The_Mass_Debator]

I was wondering what you think about the weight at 170 being a reason for Conor gassing?.155 will be perfect fo him and his body type.Does more muscle not require more oxygen for fuel?

[@The_Mass_Debator]

Cool brother.i was thinking along the same lines.

[@abcdefg9163]

i consider the weight factor and the fact hes fighting a big heavier guy who brings non stop forward pressure the main factor into the 'dip'. Fighting holloway he literally was not tired one bit said at the end of rnd 2 'not even tired'. i think conor is more likely to get tired taking back steps and absorbing pressure rather than him marching down opponents from what ive seen. Saying this i think even tho he got the finish against chad he looked noticeably tired and strikes had slowed, obviously chad was just more tired considering short notice bout. I dont see this as a good match up for conor if he doesnt starch him in the first 2.

[@xzivanoid]

tom moir Fighting backwards is always harder than fighting forward, of course. But, on the other hand Eddie was heavily pressurized by RDA and Conor is a pressure fighter, and he's very good at keeping distance (Eddie doesn't have Nate's lenght or reach, and Nate just extends him extremely well with shoulder rolls and front leg steps and slides) and is similarly skilled at controlling the octagon, Chad Mendes was constantly cut off when they stood up. Eddie's best weapon is wrestling and ferocious striking which can play on Conor, but then again Conor's precision and power kind of works around that, if he works on his takedown defense this fight could be tough for both. Cardio is perhaps an issue, but I still believe it's more or less a weigh class issue.

[@iiDefied]

I respect your opinion 100% of the time but you're giving Alvarez's striking far too much credit. He's sloppy, he's stiff, his boxing is incredibly predictable and he shells up immediately after throwing a shot as if he's afraid of the counter. Mcgregor is going to pick him apart on the feet. Alvarez's takedowns are only effective if he can get Mcgregor to back up against the cage, but that will be difficult, considering Mcgregor is the superior pressure fighter and has the five inch reach advantage. Pettis has no hands compared to Mcgregor and had numerous openings with which to land shots, but the lack of boxing experience/skill left Alvarez unpunished. Alvarez barely landed any significant strikes in that fight, even when he had Pettis against the cage. Alvarez looked terrible against Dos Anjos, even after the lucky shot he landed. He was basically falling all over himself trying to land glancing shots without any power. Dos Anjos just walked away after the TKO. It was really sloppy. When we talk about cardio, Mcgregor is going to look great at 155, just as good as he did against Max at 145. His cardio will be fine and Alvarez's cardio isn't even as good as Diaz's. When Alvarez comes out of the scrambles and tries that grinding style, he looks exhausted on the feet if the opponent can get up. I think Mendez had far greater takedown ability than Alvarez does and if you don't think that mcgregor has been and will be continuing to work on his takedown defense, especially after losing against Diaz, you're mistaken. Alvarez is going to look amateur in this fight. 2nd Round TKO, Mcgregor

[@DeathhAU]

im just looking through to find my comment and jesus this is accurate

[@iiDefied]

+DeathhAU Alvarez is a tough guy and a veteran but looking at this fight objectively, I just couldn't see it going any other way. #mysticreebok

[@iiDefied]

DeathhAU Can you like my original comment so I can win the prize? Thanks man.

[@fransegura7701]

Wow! Dead on! #mysticreebok

[@DeathhAU]

iiDefied yea no worries, do you think mcgregor can beat khabib or ferguson?

[@Davidcollecting]

already liked the video before i even watched it, thanks coach FIRAS

[@CoachZahabi]

you're the man!!

[@winsku]

no you are the man

[@biofan234]

can i get a job working for you?

[@split23e]

Watching these fight analysis videos is an absolute pleasure. I really enjoy your videos Firas.Big respect from your favorite philosopher`s country!

[@1McRooster]

Firas, you and Joe Rogan should get down on a podcast

[@louzer2566]

Saiyan Dog that would be sick !!

[@koesliftsingles9069]

Saiyan Dog yes!!!!!!

[@cormac2515]

Good googly moogly 😝

[@goldenboy140]

they live like 2800 miles apart from each other. I think that's the reason why this is unlikely to happen

[@p0werl0ve]

excellent idea

[@seanxxx8999]

Man these videos are just the BEST! I find them so entertaining and enlightening! Thank you for sharing your wonderful mind!

[@robb2991]

Alvarez by first round flying rear naked eye poke.

[@psilisimon9461]

or possibly ear triangle

[@liamdillon7062]

Mounted finger lock

[@Christian-Rankin]

TKO (Boredom) 3;55 into Round 4 Conor falls asleep...

[@myschathesleddog8100]

Bwhahahhahahahaha

[@myschathesleddog8100]

OMG dude you made beer come out my nose laughing!

[@applecrumble607]

Connor by KO in R2 (a series of punches started by a straight left) #MysticReebok

[@applecrumble607]

I predict dees tings

[@franjes9999]

Apple Crumble alot of us have idk how he will make this desicion 😂

[@MicahYongo]

Everyone keeps talking about McGregor's endurance issues, but no one seems to be taking note of the fact he was going into the ring at 168lbs for the Diaz fights. Carrying an extra 13lbs of weight that you're not used to carrying is gonna require more energy output, especially when fighting a guy who's come into the ring weighing 190lbs. I think at 145lbs and 155lbs McGregor isn't going to have as severe endurance problems. I think McGregor surprises everyone and wins on points 49-47 #MysticReebok

[@Jonziebal]

So nice to listen to somebody that has respect for both sides, and doesn't need to make a sensation out of nothing. As close to objective as I need and desire. Thank you.

[@krassy258]

The dip in his cardio is from fighting at 170. Hes not a natural welterweight. Mystery solved. At 155, I think we will see the best Conor yet, we've never seen this guy in his most natural division and he's still dominated, think about that for a minute

[@WILLtTHOMPSON2906]

well it's not mystery solved is it? u gonna prove it? is anyone gonna solve it until the fight happens?

[@mnjkmnjk123]

Ptolemy Scribe not many guys with conors power/size can cut to 145 tho so its hard to say he doesn't benifit more fighting at 45 than 55

[@evancleary6449]

+funky “McK1uckn” juggles well he's never gassed in fights other than the ones at 170?

[@njnj8759]

Yeah man.... your word over Firas Zahabi the expert... NOT!!!

[@NeedSleep008]

you do know that smaller weight cuts usually increase your stamina... Rumble, Poirier, Whittaker, Lineker etc have all had better cardio after they moved up in divisions. Conor will either have as good or worse cardio at 155 than what he had against Nate.

[@balkmanblues5544]

Amazing analysis! Keep up the great work.

[@NephologicaI]

McGregor by Doctor's Stoppage, 3:44 of the 4th round, Cut on side of Alvarez's left eye.

[@NephologicaI]

Alternative prediction: It'll be the right eye.

[@elterrible67]

McGregors left hand goes to Alvarez's Right eye!

[@zakmo5949]

+Blooblop 😂😂😂😂😂

[@ranvirgardner]

Blooblop who da fook is that guii?

[@Spinning99]

fucking fake fan, the doctors will come in rd5 2:40 in

[@mistcrow]

Please get these in podcast form!!! I wanna listen to this driving around! Love these.

[@nidge18]

I think it's no coincidence that both his energy dips have been at 170. As you said, for the Holloway fight he was fine, even with the injury. He's just too small for that weight class. It was grudge match, a fun side fight, but Conor will never fight at 170 again. He was on his back for most of the Mendes fight and he got up and finished him with ease. We'll see.

[@Philly1979]

True. interesting to see what Conors stamina will be like 15 lb lighter. can only be better surely. still think the fight will sway in Eddies favour after round 2. hoping Conor knocks him out cold in the 1st or 2nd

[@nidge18]

Chris_Gullett You seem like a really nice guy.

[@nidge18]

Fight Fan Far from it

[@zmanafacation]

wow, youre quite the detective.

[@inhumanhyena]

Diaz really a LW though, he got whipped by RDA at LW so I feel like the argument that he's too small for WW is null. Alvarez has done well at WW and LW. As for Mendes, I believe the only reason he was able to finish him is Mendes was out of shape, that was a short notice fight, he tired himself out and took too much damage. Mendes is also much smaller than Conor and he still looked tired at the end of the round. I gotta go with Firas on this one. Alvarez is a tough fighter who also has some nasty striking. He's not the worst match-up for Conor but he's not a good one. LW is going to be a very difficult division, he gives up a considerable size advantage he had at FW. If Alvarez really plays to his technical superiority he will beat Conor very bad, like brutally.

[@cpolk555]

I am always fired up to watch these. Thanks Coach.

[@liam314]

What surprises me is that such a high level coach doesn't understand that Conor has a high percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers (like all high level sprinters) and as a consequence he will ALWAYS fatigue quickly and abruptly. This isn't a "cardio" issue this is a lactic acid issue. Having a high percentage of fast twitch muscle fiber is a double-edge sword, on the one side it allows you to excel at speed, power, and timing, but the downside is that fast twitch fibers produce a lot of lactic acid which accumulates quickly causing rapid fatigue (as lactic acid inhibits muscle fiber contraction). Conor has seen a sports physiologist and understands this now.

[@fr0g12345678]

liam314 they have tested Olympic marathon runners and found them to have high levels of fast muscle twitch fibres

[@liam314]

+fr0g12345678 True, but they have mostly type IIa fast twitch fibers which are like midway between a slow twitch and a fast twitch fibre.

[@MrGrunt-dw7lg]

You can gain and loss fast and slow twitch muscles with the exercise associated with them.

[@NeedSleep008]

i don't know if he understands the underlying reason yeah, but he seems correct about the practical effect it has on Conor. Good cardio also plays a role too, since lactic acid build up is the result of anaerobic conditions. Having good cardio usually helps alleviate it by increasing the oxygen supply to your muscles. I agree that it's unavoidable for explosive guys like Conor, but guys like Lawler and Aldo have shown improvement despite having the same problem in their older fights.

[@njnj8759]

Well Eddie can KO people as well. He's fast, explosive and muscles don't gas like Conors... He can keep a high pace while still displaying explosiveness.l throughout the fight. What's going on with Eddie that Conor can't do the same?

[@ajayjelin]

Alvarez and Mcgregor will start exchanging strikes. Mcgregors precision and technical striking will be too much for Alvarez to handle. Alvarez will be pressured and then tko/ko'd in the first round. I'll be surprised if it goes to the second.

[@ajayjelin]

#MysticReebok

[@CoachZahabi]

Ajay Jelin very possible. Good prediction.

[@MM-cc1gh]

Both fighters are capable of one punch knockouts. But for this match, Conor Mcgregor will catch Alvarez with a hard left that will send Alvarez down to the mat and Mcgregor will pounce on top raining down punches until referee stoppage. A very controversial stoppage and visibly upset Alvarez. Mcgregor wins in fourth round. #mysticreebok

[@morgan3-way17]

MM 75 I'll be back once Alvarez wins 😂 he's a bigger, better fighter and wrestler

[@turtles6610]

I think Alvarez is too busy and too big to get KO'd from a good counter. Eddie often gets hurt but almost alsays recovers. So getting clipped early by a fw is not a death sentence.

[@kebbus8142]

100% Prediction... Eddie will get Rocked in the end of round 1, but survive cause of the Bell.. Round 2 will a Nice clean K.O

[@diodanielofficial2947]

Bruh

[@richsocaplaya]

Love Firas' perspective. The point on GSP vs Condit was great too. Thanks a lot boss! Hope to see GSP back in the UFC.

[@Maxwell-mb7xn]

Firas come on man, I love your videos and mindset, but why aren't you addressing him fighting 25 pounds heavier for his stamina dip, a bit disappointing.

[@darrengreene8905]

Firas is to biased to address that

[@darrengreene8905]

Agree with a lot of that man, but i think its was Conors coach that said before the first Diaz fight that we have seen him on salads now watch him on steaks, we seen what happened then but for the second fight Conor spent a fuck load of cash on George Lockhart an we then seen Conor go a good 5 round fight with Nate, and now that Conor and Lockhart are working together again Conor will have no problem going 5 rounds with Eddie if needs be, but i personally think the biggest change Conor has done to his camp and success has been a lot to do with probably the best nutritionist in the buisness living with you 24/7 so Conor at 155 injury free will KO Eddie no doubt

[@darrengreene8905]

Yea true that bro only Lockhart can answer that question an i hope u do get the answer, i also agree if Conor puts on the fight of his life then this bullshit about not been able to fight certain fighters Conor is gonna tear up the 155 division fully fit

[@michaelbernard1041]

Because Conor fights at around the same weight no matter the weight class. He fights somewhere from 164-168 for all of his fights. With no weight cutting, his stamina was better at WW.

[@TheMuscleNerd]

Michael Bernard if that were true why is he shredded at his 145lb fights and looking soft at 170 fights if he is always the same weight while fighting?

[@GianniVitucci]

Your doing a great job with this channel Firaz. You mentioned you might ask some of the fighters (as well as George) in your gym what their predictions will be. I think this would be interesting to see/hear what the other fighters think/predictions of these big up coming fights. Since watching the Fightland youtube vid on your gym would be a great addition to your vids considering the access you have to your other fighters. I've also noticed your Sub base seems to have gone up close to 50% since I last took a look at it. Thats great! Keep it going! You should be in the millions!

[@jtm594]

Conor deserves a title shot bc he cleaned out the 145 lb division, KO'd the 10 year undefeated, P4P #1, 145 lb Champ in 13 seconds, and then beat the #5 ranked 155er at 170 lb. By that math he deserves a title shot. Khabib in that time fought 1 unranked guy.

[@niveaulimbo6101]

jtm5 conor didnt clean out 145 there are plenty of good contenders left he didnt even defend his belt and there is still the chance that the aldo fight was a fluke

[@NeedSleep008]

he didn't clean out 145. He didn't even have a single defence. Aldo had to fight Frankie, Holloway is still there (before anyone mentions their previous fight, I'd like to remind you that Max has had 9 fights since then and is a completely different fighter now, just like how Conor had changed since the Duffy loss), Pettis recently dropped down, and there are 3 top prospects coming up (Mirsad Bektic, Yair Rodriguez, and Doo ho Choi). No one would've said that Anderson Silva cleared out 185 when he became champ, it took him years of remaining champ for people to have considered the division cleared.

[@jtm594]

Bilal Yusuf At 145 lb. Conor defeated the Champ, Aldo convincingly (KO), before that he defeated the then #1 contender at 145 lbs Chad Mendes convincingly (KO), before that he defeated the Current #1 contender at 145 lb., Max Holloway (unanimous decision). I realize Max has improved since then but so has Conor. So in the passed 3 years Conor defeated the 3 best 145ers easily. He battered them all. He got taken down twice and suffered 1 cut once over his eye in 3 fights vs the 3 best 145ers. These are facts. I think since Conor is so polarizing people who dislike him cloud their judgement as to how good he really is.

[@NeedSleep008]

jtm5 No, I actually like Conor, but if any other champ did the same then no one would claim that they cleared the division. RDA's run to the title had him dominating everyone who wasn't Russian, Cruz is in a weaker division than 145 but no one claimed that he cleared it out after beating TJ and Faber, Jones is the closest thing to the LHW GOAT but no one claimed that the division was cleared... I mean, beating Aldo doesn't transfer all of Aldo's accomplishments to Conor just like Anderson's wasn't transferred to Weidman. Neither does beating Mendes, it was even proven that Frankie was/is better than him. If you agree that both Conor and Max have improved, then how can you think that their previous fight still has relevance? Again, I'm not hating on Conor, he has already become a legend with his run to the title (13 second KO included), but clearing a division out isn't the same thing as winning the title.

[@jtm594]

Bilal Yusuf Instead of "cleaned out" I'll say he beat the 3 best that 145 lb. division had to offer while he was active in that division. Now he's moved up to 155 lb. to take on the champion. (He had RDA booked but then RDA pulled due to an injury). I'm not gonna complain that he hasn't defended yet bc he's been very active seeking out more difficult titles and top contenders along the way. There's nothing wrong with being rewarded a 155 title shot after defeating the 3 best in his past division (at the time) including the P4P champ in record time. Many fighters namely undefeated Russians fight once per year vs. unranked opponents. Conor is very active and fights whoever they put in front of him. I'd wager 99% of UFC roster wouldn't have taken the Mendes fight after Aldo pulled out. They're totally different style matchup but Conor took it and won. That should be rewarded instead of hibernating for 9 months and pulling out of fights habitually like many other UFC fighters do.

[@catac83]

great video, great analysis and thank youuu for your answer Firas, you are the man!!!

[@iMaghh]

Round 2, counter left hook KO

[@iMaghh]

Conor^

[@iMaghh]

I can see him land a clean left handed shot, like he did against aldo, if that makes sense

[@toddziegler925]

Love hearing your perspective. You are one of the best...thanks man.

[@CzarTissue]

My prediction for this fight is, Conor will rock Eddie in the first round with a series of precise strikes and Eddie will attempt to stall by either circling around the octagon avoiding more damage or by shooting for the take down. I think after being stunned Eddie will stall the fight successfully and make it to round 2. In round 2 I see McGregor completely outclassing Alvarez in every.single. exchange. Stand-up and grappling. By the two minute mark of round 2 Conor will have this win sealed with either a KO or TKO or maybe even a submission. #MysticReebok

[@CzarTissue]

Holy Shit I was absolutely right. hahahahahaha damn I'm a mystic!

[@rasaknnn]

Finally, another pre-fight analysis. Awesome!

[@Outlawz1971]

Conor is like a turtle on his back lol even in the 2nd fight with Nate the end of 5th round Conor look helpless and was saved by the bell haha

[@dosomethingaboutit3218]

thats against a diaz with the best BJJ apart from maia and some others that doesnt mean hes shit

[@jjk1341]

No but his wrestling performance against a short notice Chad Mendes told us quite a lot.

[@adrienvcomedy]

alverez sub in rd 2 #mysticreebok

[@Setofhornsandahalo]

"But in the end, he was the turtle" - Conor

[@wolfymma]

Makaveli Your mom is the best turtle in the world

[@carldisi2248]

Eddie Alvarez win via TKO 3:30 into round 3 #mysticreebok ; Keep up the good work Firas, I love your analysis. If there is any way you can put this in a podcast form that would be phenomenal, I don't always have an hour to sit in front of my computer and watch a video (it took me about 2 weeks to watch this whole thing), but I ALWAYS have time commuting/walking/running to listen to podcasts.. I can't be the only one! Thanks and take care.

[@shrame99]

All Alvarez has to do to win is weather the storm for the first 2 rounds, study Conor`s striking style and make him miss again and again, take Conor down, force him into a grinding match. Eventually Conor will gas and Alvarez can choke him out. Alvarez by 3rd or 4th round submission...

[@shrame99]

If Conor couldn`t knock out Nate I don`t see him knocking out Eddie, who`s tough as nails and super durable

[@leemcmullan]

I don't think nate has ever been knocked out ever. But like conor said "his face will never be the same" and I agree. It probably would have been better for nate to have actually gotten knocked out. McGregors left hand is made of steel.

[@shrame99]

According to Chael Sonnen Conor got KO'd in training recently...not looking good...

[@johnboy8800]

Firas, love your show. Next time please have your mic closer to your mouth. It is a little hard to hear you at times even with my volume all the way up.

[@JohnDeanMusic]

Fight will end in a 2nd round knockout, left hand from mcgregor Knock downs Alvarez, after an Eddie Alvarez flurry. Finishes Alvarez on the ground.

[@JohnDeanMusic]

My prediction was pretty much spot on. Yay

[@braveheart4603]

+john siafega OK we'll give you that one buddy, I hope you win that massage thingy whatever the fook it does. ;)

[@iiDefied]

john siafega Hey bro, check mine out too. Looks like we were both correct :D

[@TommyTipex]

McGregor Diaz 1 was on March 5th - McGregor Diaz 2 was on August 20th. Assuming he's been training cardio even after the second fight (which he has if his twitter is accurate) his cardio should be pretty solid by november, 10 months is a long time for that aspect of the game. I don't think he'll be changing his style at all, apart from maybe continuing with those leg kicks as they definitely won him the Diaz fight and focusing on those travis browne anti-wrestling elbows for when Alvarez shoots out of panic.

[@ABC-ci3sg]

Hi Firas, I agree this is too short of a turn around for Conor and I am so gonna get down voted by Conor's fans but here is my prediction. I doubt he gets this one. Eddie is gonna grind him and win by the end of 2/3 via TKO or submission. I'll take that reebok fight kit 😎 #mysticreebook #challenge #prediction @Tristar twitter handle @pashtoonyar

[@redfish2804]

Haha, good luck... Eddie is going to sleep in round 1.

[@ghost_in_nyc]

whats interesting is when mcgregor fought halloway , we never saw a dip in energy at all. he looked fresh all 3 rounds. the third round was even contested mostly on the ground. max halloway took a ton of mcgregors punches and flashy kicks and kept coming, wouldn't we of seen a dip in energy similar to what we saw in both nate fights? to me it seems like the dip in energy is: 1 keeping up the pace with someone with the cardio like nate has 2. the extra body fat he stores fighting at around 168 pounds. i really don't know much of what mcgregor eats , but to train that much cardio would mean he would be losing tons of weight but he needs to keep his calorie intake high to make 170 limit. so he's storing a layer of fat while fighting. he even said he tried so hard to get abs at that weight but he just can't. he was even quoted saying he sometimes felt like he had a belly. I think him fighting at 155 we will see the best McGregor yet. 145 drains him and 170 he holds too much weight. He still will have to deal with a very game alvarez so its very interesting to see how this fight goes.

[@theblessing33]

Haven't watched yet, but gee... Let me guess - Firas: "I pick Alvarez because mcgregor can't wrestle". What's your record now, about 1-6? With all your vast mma knowledge I think you've proven you're completely inept (or biased?) in objectively predicting a mcgregor fight.

[@reeder198]

Z. Allen he’s 1-6?

[@Sherriffs82]

Great insight again Firas, your analysis is very informative, intelligent, honest. So 1st of all thanks for continuing to put out these videos, great work. OK #mysticreebok time! Although everyone agrees the winning game plan for Alvarez is to wrestle McGregor, I feel Alvarez will get too involved/wound up by Conor's mental mind games, as pretty much everyone bar Diaz has, and he'll really want to KO him, Alvarez has heart and is as tough as they come, maybe too tough for his own good. As good a boxer Alvarez is he's not great, he is easily turned from boxer to brawler, his finish of Dos Anjos was wild and very sloppy with many wasted punches and he also left himself wide open, and in my opinion he got kinda lucky to sneak that long hook around Dos Anjos guard which started that wild TKO. McGregor is a more powerful and much more accurate puncher, just compare their T/KO finishing rate for proof of this. McGregor's kicking game is ever improving with a wide arsenal from lead leg hook kicks, spinning body/head kicks(which I feel he has learned to not throw as much of due to energy usage and increased risk of the takedown) his Muay Thai(including elbows) against Diaz was the latest edition. His takedown defense is also under rated his movement and footwork keeps him out of range of being taken down for the most part and the only guy to take him down in the UFC was Mendes, who is a higher calibre wrestler than Alvarez and he ended up TKO'd anyway! So my #mysticreebok prediction is that McGregor will avoid any takedowns, if Eddie even attempts any, keep him at his range with push/snap kicks, force Alvarez to swing wild then catch him with that trusty left hand cross counter probably more than once which will rock and eventually drop Alvarez and McGregor will not let him recover and finish with elbows on the ground late in a wild Round 1

[@jonathanalvarado5702]

McGregor KO's Alvarez round 2

[@jonathanalvarado5702]

Where's my free stuff?

[@patrickcrawford6392]

hahah you were right!!! I'll send you a pair of reeboks bro, dont worry.

[@antonyquigley5219]

Still don't understand why everyone is STILL doubting Conor... The man is just a different type of human being. He was right "Eddie shouldn't have even been in the cage with me"

[@ethiopiansickness]

MYSTIC REEBOK: Conor Mcgregor will win via 2nd round TKO #MysticReebok The fight will seem somewhat similar to the fight between Mendes and Mcgregor. Mcgregor will hurt him in the first round, which will cause Eddie to go for takedown. Then second round Mcgregor rocks and finishes Alvarez

[@ethiopiansickness]

I can't wait for my quest bars and massager

[@ethiopiansickness]

I won the challenge !!!!!!!!!

[@homelessinamerica5649]

nice dude

[@homelessinamerica2117]

Congrats bruh

[@nathanlubitz9350]

damn tell us how that massager, I was thinking of buying one myself

[@TheMrdannyharrington]

I think it was a body front kick by Conor that made Diaz back up in the 4th round. As soon as it landed, Diaz hunched over, tensed his muscles and backed up and Diaz never really dominated like he did in rd3 onwards.

[@killerdemo]

firas never did 250 push ups. welches on his lost bets. firas doesnt honor his bets.

[@CoachZahabi]

killerdemo lol listen to the video. They are coming up soon. I'm recovering from bronchitis. I was in really poor health and just starting to get back to filming.

[@GregoryCunningham]

You can do 250 proper push ups in one set? That's damn impressive. I would have to spread that out.

[@liamdillon7062]

+Greg Cunningham no way those are in one set, he will surely spread those out

[@russb.3077]

He says in the video he will post it soon.

[@edisongill8288]

When you mentioned Cowboy Cerrone I already knew that you will bring the kicking level comparision with Mcgregor, not even close I believe. I think the same about this, if Mcgregor don't hurt Alvarez in the start I don't see him winning. Great Pre-Fight Analysis as always. Greetings from Paraguay!

[@providencee-w8q]

WHO DA FOOK IS THIS GUY?!

[@DANVIIL]

Excellent analysis, coach. I spent my first 29 years in Philly and you are right about boxing & toughness in that town. Eddie has no fear of anyone he fights. He's had so many street fights, that beyond excitement there is no emotion that is negative. If Eddie can prevent a knockout and shutdown Connor's leg kicks in the first 3 rounds, Eddie could grind it out and maybe KO Connor. Connor has an excellent chin. Aldo hit him very hard at the time he took his KO shot from McGregor. Eddie is half Irish/Puerto Rican and he knows no quit and I'm looking forward to a great fight. Based on sheer physical size, I'd have to say that Eddie has a 55/45 chance over Connor.

[@milesswammi1793]

Conor mcgregor 1st round ko/tko #mysticrebook

[@iRoyalpriesthood]

that is too specific

[@marianapetar7131]

fix your hashtag, illiterate mcgregor fan. What is rebook?

[@milesswammi1793]

mariana petar Jesus Christ I can't have a typo maybe you should do something better with your life then spreading negativity on some random KZbin comment reebok happy?

[@morgan3-way17]

miles swammi you're making assumptions on a fight that hasn't even happened, also an unlikely outcome since Alvarez is a better fighter.

[@braveheart4603]

+Morgan 3-Way Right you are big man, Alvarez was soo good it was fuckin embarrassing. He was lucky to land one punch the whole fight.

[@phk8073]

Hey i love your videos! I saw you uploaded some of your videos on ITunes as a podcast. Will you be uploading these newer analysis as well? Would be really nice!

[@MustAfaalik]

Just as Bruce Lee said, "fear the man who trains and master just one punch"etc.

[@soamazzzing]

Round three Eddie ground and pound tko, but Conor will win first round Eddie will win second. ...Much respect to both fighters and I love tuning in to you and always learning new things and getting different perspectives Thank You Mr. Firas Zahabi #MysticReebok

[@joshe9831]

I would love to see Firas and Kenny Florian debate Conor vs Eddie. Both amazing analysts who have chosen the opposite fighters.

[@Guttsdoyle]

May be plucking at straws but Holloway was is Boston. And so was Siver. Both fights went beyond 8 mins. And he looked fresh in both. Do you think his body just has a natural problem with Vegas climate? Maybe we'll see a better tank in MSG which like Boston is closer to Irish climate.

[@INKovari]

It goes the distance & Eddie wins by split decision 48-47, 47-48, 48-46. Conor retires, I go to bed drunk, sad & angry. #mysticReebok P.S. I picked Conor to win by decision against Diaz 2, but didn't win anything. I would absolutely love it if I won some reebok gear! Thanks Firas, looking forward to your post fight analysis.

[@conchurot]

The 8mins dip for McGregor was at welterweight don't forget. More muscle mass = higher demand for oxygen. 3 rounds against Max Holloway with a torn ACL he didn't look tired. I don't expect him to fade at 155lb either. McGregor 2nd round ko. Alverez is way too complacent and dismissive of McGregor and has not experienced the type of media pressure he's about to face either.

[@---sm5hg]

You have any fight de escalation techniques/strategies so we can talk our way out before we have to fight ps love these vids adds so much to my training

[@redrumrabbit]

Always enjoy your breakdowns.

[@IamTiernO]

Lots of people are forgetting that the 2 Diaz fights where he gassed were at 170, where he never fought before hand. He has fought the majority of his career at 145 and 155 where his cardio was never ever an issue.

[@dontfeedthecode]

Some objective critique: You mentioned Conor had one round knockout after one round knockout then went straight into the Diaz fights - when Conor fought Mendez he TKO'd him at 4:57 of the 2nd round, he was fighting off his back for a huge amount of the fight and showed no visible signs of exhaustion. His fight with Max Holloway went the full three rounds, although most of it was fought on the ground (Conor tore his ACL) he showed no similar signs of exhaustion at the end of the second round. I don't think saying Conor has a dip in energy at the 8 minute mark based solely off two performances at welterweight is a fair assessment of this fight as it's closer to his 145 fighting weight. In my opinion Conor fighting at 170 (technically 168) was ridiculous and any top tier welterweight would have destroyed him. What we CAN say with certainty is that Conor WILL dip at 8 minutes IF he fights at welterweight.

[@UpdoggWhattt]

Hey Firas, if you read these comments, do you agree with the sentiment that Edmond Tarverdyan is not a good coach (boxing and otherwise) and that he's hurting Ronda's career prospects? Obviously Ronda has had huge success in the sport (which allowed Edmond to skate by without much criticism), but I think that success was because of the skill Ronda already had (before Edmond). Also, how do you think she will do against the top women in the BW women's division (Nunes, Shevchenko,Tate rematch, J. Pena, Holm rematch), as well as Cyborg? Lastly, would you be willing to train Ronda if she contacted you? I truly believe that if she gets with a top-level coach/gym and puts in the work needed to bring her striking up, she could become so much better than she already is (which is a scary thought). HOWEVER, if she doesn't move on from Edmond (or at least get outside coaching for her striking), I don't see her beating the strong strikers in the division with decent defensive wrestling. And I def. don't see her surviving 2 rounds with Cyborg.

[@CzarTissue]

8 minutes is plenty of time for Conor's precision striking to find Eddie's chin and rock him. Once Eddie gets rocked, it's gonna be a downpour of follow up strikes that will finish him. People say McGregor only has a 8 minutes of fight in him but it's a dangerous 8 minutes in there with him. Only reason he didn't finish Nate in the second fight is because Nate had probably 15-25 pound weight advantage over Conor. If you don't believe that Nate had a weight advantage go read the article about how Bisping gained back 18 pounds in six hours after making weight for his recent fight. From weigh-in to fight night fighters easily regain 15-25 pounds and at 170 Conor has no more weight he can possibly gain where as Nate can weigh easily anywhere between 185-200 pounds.

[@jibrilisation]

great video firas. anyway to increase audio seems to be reduced compared to normal.

[@norepmt]

Love your videos Firas, but we keep talking about an 8 minute dip in Conor's cardio which was only visible at 170. I think the extra 15 lbs is a huge factor in that cardiovascular dip as both Anthony Johnson and Rashad Evans have pointed out.

[@marcuswynn89]

do you think Connor leaving his right hand low leaves him open for head kicks, especially since he mostly slips to his right?

[@bool0101]

you need to speak closer to the mic firas.

[@KingJohnTX]

Eddie grapples the first two rounds, tires McGregor out, starts hitting Conor with good shots throughout the third then finishes him off in the fourth round, calling it now.

[@nitramdurcek]

I think Conor won't get tired since the fight is not at 170 but 155...I think that's the reason why he got tired in his last 2 bouts.Morever in 2nd Diaz fight he showed pretty solid recovery in 4th round so I think his cardio should not be an issue in his natural weight division. I believe he would beat Eddie via TKO in the 3rd. Also believe that Eddie will get a takedown in 2nd round and bell will save Conor...that's my prediction and can't wait to see it happen

[@eighteenan]

@Tristar Gym : Hey Firas, I really love your videos and I find that this channel is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge. I get what you're saying about Conor regarding the turn-around time from fighting Nate being too short to address the deficits in his fitness or game, but do you think it's too short of a turn around for another 250 push ups?

[@qaching]

please put the mic closer so i can hear you louder its clear but little silent

[@keith4edwin1]

I'm a huge conor fan and I agree that in his recent fights his cardio has been a problem. But, his cardio looked phenomenal against Max Holloway. I believe that after his knee surgery like GSP, it looks like it somehow affected both guys cardio. As they didn't look the same after. What is your view on that firas. Thank you

[@alpegg75]

Hey Firas, I really think that energy dip could be because Conor carries too much weight at 170. Both times he dipped was at 170. Conor himself said he doesn't have abs at 170, meaning he's carrying fat. He didn't dip against Hollway at 145. I'll be very interested to see if it happens to him at 155. What do you think?

[@bobshoturmom]

As the betting man I would choose: Winner: Conor McGregor Total Rounds: Under 2.5 ( stops Eddie before 2:30 of the 3rd round) Method of Victory: Conor to win by KO,TKO,DQ #MysticReebok

[@brdigma6790]

Also when the Coach is referring to Conors energy dip, he doesn't exactly point out that we saw that at 170 pounds... This will be at 15 pounds lighter and from the looks of the second fight Conor showed great improvement with his cardio and went the full 5 at 170. So I think we will see another beast from Conor that will shock Alvarez.

[@awai6756]

Does weight affect cardio ? I mean yes but from 170 to 155 ?

[@tinom8673]

Do you think the altitude in Vegas in both Diaz fights might make more of an impact on Conors energy? If that is a big thing, it's something he shouldn't need to contend with in the MSG fight against Eddie.

[@thisguy-yv5so]

Your the man Firas I hope to learn some skills from you someday!

[@kazuonozawa2506]

Can you make a Conor mcgregor cardio analysis including an overview of this and comparing examples of other fighters. It could help us to undestand how it works in mma and how diferent it is compared to other sports.

[@adityansify]

@Tristar Gym : hi firas I'm a huge fan and an admirer of yours from India. What are your views on 170 pound weight being the reason for conor's dip in the stamina?? as after the first Diaz fight both conor and his team mates accepted that conor was a little heavy in mid section of his torso and probably because of that he asked for a 3rd remactch at 155 pound?? and I strongly agree with you that conor do not deservs a title even with all his carisma it should have been Khabib... respect!!!

[@CoachZahabi]

Shivam Bhardwaj thanks for the input. Definitely could be. Looking forward to seeing if the dip disappears in this fight.

[@AustinPannell21]

I think Eddie is going to try to get in his face early and throw punches feeling he is the bigger, stronger man but will get tagged with some front kicks to the body. Conor might get popped a couple times, but will get out of trouble. Eddie eventually gets extra aggressive and tries to initiate the hands and Conor counters with a straight left wobbling Eddie, leading to the TKO finish in the first 4 minutes. Conor McGregor by TKO round 1, 1:43 on the clock. #MysticReebok

[@theangrycheeto]

Firas, are you willing to set up another challenge similar to the 250 push up challenge for your prediction of this fight?

[@sorinionut220]

for the mystic challenge: Alvarez by standing TKO + a few follow up shots on the ground before the ref gets to stop it. Round 1 or at most round 2

[@DiamondTheRottie]

Eddie Alvarez by SUBMISSION (rear naked choke) @ (3:00) of Round 2. Double leg, ground and pound, McGregor gives up his back, and he taps or naps. #mysticReebok

[@Cssaarr]

I feel, Alvarez hook is too short...also he goes forward in a very frontal non technical way....fight him backwards in angles while counterattacking, kick frontal leg, kick the head with frontal kicks, also frontal kicks to the stomach, counter attack with one or two spinning back kick to the liver, I feel kicks are gonna be key in this fight, for some reason

[@emisor73]

Great breakdown as always. My prediction: Eddie wins in the 3rd by a wild combination followed by takedown and ground and pound. Thanks

[@biczo4]

"mastering the tool what he can use against everyone" - that's a great sentence!

[@patdel12]

Great insight! Conor will be more energy efficient at 155, just hope its enough against the smaller alverez and he's effective grappling

[@Junishification]

Do you think the 170lb affected his cardio? In his earlier days at 155 his cardio seemed pretty good

[@16siemon]

Have you already picked winners for the hendo bisping predictions? Cuz mine was pretty spot on :)

[@toprightchannel3080]

It's a really interesting match-up BUT I favour Conor because I'm getting the impression that Eddie is underestimating him to build up his own confidence. So when he gets in there and Conor is a bit sharper and more powerful then he was expecting- it could be game-over.

[@mtbjjbtt2873]

I see Eddie winning a 3-2 decision. Also, I do see Conor rocking Eddie in the second and being to close to the finish and falling short. Eddie will take over as of the third round. Championship rounds will be all Alvarez. #mysticReebok Thank you so much Firas again for this amazing breakdown

[@fragkiskososterman1561]

A good strategy for Alvarez would be the same gsp used in his second fight with penn, make the first couple of rounds a wrestling match to tire him out because he is very good with his hands and because of fatigue he will lose a lot of speed and power with his striking and ultimately shut down his best weapons,his hands.then the fight will be in eddies favor because he is the superior wrestler

[@MrGunnerguy123]

My #MysticReebok prediction is a first round ko for McGregor. Conor will hurt Eddie in one of the first exchanges, Eddie will then try a double off the fence, when Eddie drops his level, McGregor will finish him with elbows to the temple.

[@chysen]

Alvarez will come out pressuring Conor trying to keep his back against the fence, but Conor can fight really well moving backwards so he'll have traps setup for Alvarez as he comes in. I imagine Conor circling out, hitting Alvarez with his straight left, a few uppercuts and few knees as Eddie level changes. They will get into several clinches, with Conor being able to break off and counter with elbows and step out left hands. Eddie will turn from the hunter to the hunted, and will start to be the one getting pressured. Conor will ultimately finish Eddie with his patented straight left before the end of the first round. Conor's unorthodox movements and ability to adjust mid round to his opponents will be a key factor of the fight.

[@dmgm01]

Will the weight class differential help the Cardio?

[@lmcreative7]

I love your breakdowns Firas, you are so insightful and I always learn new perspectives from listening to you. My Mystic prediction is Alvarez wins in RD.3 via TKO.

[@WKrealestateNYC]

Conor wins by 2nd Rd KO/TKO. This is how fight plays out: Rd 1 - Conor takes center of octagon. Looks to counter Eddie. Eddie gets his back to the cage and throws big hooks (left and right). Conor counters with a straight left down the pipe. Stuns Eddie. Then starts to tee off with front kicks, leg kicks and boxing combinations. Eddie's hurt shoots for take down Conor stuffs and raises his hands like "not this time mother fucker". Conor looks to use range and go in an out. Last minute of fight Eddie lands a big shot and stuns Conor then puts him on the cage to wrestle him and gets the take down. But no time left and round is over. Rd 2 - Eddie feeling the after effects of the big shots Conor landed but recovered for the most part. Conor aware of the take downs, really goes in and out and measures all his shots. Conscientious of kicks, because Eddie looks for take down. Conor still walking Eddie down. Eddie back to the cage decides to trade, Conor with the faster hands and longer reach connects right on Eddie's chin and Eddie goes down. Conor gets on top and throws accurate left hand bombs. Herb Dean comes in and stops fight. TWO WEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION. THE FIGHTING IRISH. FUCK YOU. ASKS REST OF UFC BUMS TO BEG HIM.

[@Triptoons]

-Eddie Alvarez wins via arm triangle, -Late second round or early third

[@Magani79]

#MysticReebok my prediction: Conor by TKO in the middle of 2nd round (2:30) 1st round - Conor will win on the feet and then Eddie will take Conor down at around 3 minutes. Eddie wins 1st round 2nd round - Conor winning on the feet, lands clean left hand that rocks Eddie, Conor pressuring him against the fence, Eddie falls down and Conor finishes with strikes by TKO 2:30 into the round.

[@25eug3nius7]

the notorious one will be victorious in the middle of the second round via too also the "mcgregor dip" happened with nate we cant deny that, however he was fighting two weight classes above where he got his title. he was carrying way more weight than he is used to so that also helped zap his energy... I don't see that happening again.

[@ericsleith3635]

"TAG" ~ MYSTIC REBEOK: I predict Alvarez will win this fight by submission in the 2-3 round. They are obviously both AMAZING fighters, but Eddie not only has knock-out power, but a much better ground game to provide submissions. Connor expended a LOT of energy in that last fight and there are only so many of those types of hard fought battles a person can have in a Pro career. And he has not had enough time to rest & train for this upcoming war! Conor is one of the "best of the best" but Eddie has kind of flown under the radar in certain circles. Eddie has & GREAT standing and ground game. This will be an epic battle between two outstanding warriors!!! But Conor should be content with the 145 lbs. belt 10 pounds makes a big difference with seasoned fighters. This is my prediction IMHO. Thank you Sensei Zahabi for all of your teachings. You could be a title belt holder should you ever decide to enter the ring. I believe you're one of the most knowledgable & talented BJJ, etc. teachers in the world! Thank you for sharing your amazing insights. Respectfully, Eric~

[@bloodwolf9428]

Yeah its those soft chin punches that knock out most people. Just a small jab on the chin. These predictions are pretty accurate.. Conor knows his weaknesses and I believe they would train on take down defense and at least its closer to his weight this time. I just don't know how he will handle Eddie on the ground if he gets taken down. .. On the Kicks.. Cerrone used his kicks well to prevent take downs actually.