An MMA analyst expressed surprise that strikers in 2026 continue to ignore the tactical advantage of threatening takedowns, even without strong wrestling. The post referenced Al Iaquinta successfully using feints against Khabib Nurmagomedov, forcing automatic defensive reactions that created striking windows. The analyst noted Jiri Prochazka's size and wrestling credentials, suggesting he could have mixed in wrestling threats or clinch work against Carlos Ulberg to create safer entries. Despite Prochazka showing wrestling success against Glover Teixeira and Alex Pereira in previous fights, he only attempted five takedowns in his entire UFC career. The post contrasted this with Petr Yan's 65 takedown attempts in UFC, arguing that even fighters without elite wrestling should use it strategically. The analyst concluded that Prochazka missed opportunities to use wrestling or its threat tactically in his loss.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
