The Stefan Struve Express. What do you make of this guy?

Discussion in 'MMA Forum' started by Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012.


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  1. Haggis McJackass

    Haggis McJackass Semi-neutralist Overseer Full Member

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    I really like watching him fight. He loves to go to war, he has a massive heart and he has a TON of high-level experience for someone his age. He has great physical gifts when he wants to use them, but his love of a brawl sometimes interferes with his best chance to win. And his chin doesn't seem strong enough to let him stand and trade with the heaviest hitters.

    Still, he's only 24 so he has lots of time. He's improving fight by fight and it's always good to see him on a card. He's good at talking as well, which doesn't hurt. I don't hold his quick losses to Big Country and JDS against him as he was only 21, 22 years old when they happened. Most guys aren't anywhere near fighters like those two at that age.

    What's his ceiling, do you guys reckon?

    Potential beltholder one day?

    Gets a title shot or two in his career, but is turned away?

    Gatekeeper type, sorting out the championship-level guys from the contender/journeyman-level guys?

    Or has he peaked and he won't get any better?

    :hat
     
    Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012
    Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012
    #1
  2. elmaldito

    elmaldito Skillz Full Member

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    Getting derailed by miocic!
     
    elmaldito, Jul 31, 2012
    elmaldito, Jul 31, 2012
    #2
  3. Rob_Floyd

    Rob_Floyd Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He will make for a lot of exciting fights, but I don't think he will ever be a top dog. Miocic should definitely beat him.

    Struve's striking has definitely been improving, though, and he is still very young. However, he has already suffered some brutal knockouts.
     
    Rob_Floyd, Jul 31, 2012
    Rob_Floyd, Jul 31, 2012
    #3
  4. Haggis McJackass

    Haggis McJackass Semi-neutralist Overseer Full Member

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    He's been derailed before. :lol:

    I tend to think that he still has a couple of years before his losses really start to become meaningful.

    I mean, Miocic has a solid pedigree and is getting some buzz, but he's just starting to step onto the big stage at age 29. And that's not regarded as too late for a HW to start creating a good fighting legacy.

    Miocic is the rookie in this fight at 29, and Struve is the seasoned veteran at age 24. Struve has plenty of time before we can really see where he is at IMO. A loss to Miocic wouldn't be a disaster for him in my view. :good

    :hat
     
    Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012
    Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012
    #4
  5. Haggis McJackass

    Haggis McJackass Semi-neutralist Overseer Full Member

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    I don't really see that as working too much against him though. He seems to have the right attitude about it, they haven't put him off or made him cautious/tentative in the cage. He still goes right after the knockout if he thinks it's there for him.

    Sometimes undefeated fighters, or guys who have never been stopped, it seems to get in their head. I remember Tua against Lewis, he seemed to quickly give up, became very passive and seemed to be more concerned about not getting knocked out than he was about winning the fight.

    Struve has already been quickly and brutally knocked out a couple of times, so for him he's already experienced what a lot of fighters are afraid of. And he's come back having worked harder on his game and looking like a better fighter.

    I don't know if he'll ever wear the gold, but I do forsee a lot of very dramatic, entertaining fights that involve the guy.

    I wouldn't mind seeing him be Jones' first opponent at HW either. That would be a crazy fight. :lol:

    :hat
     
    Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012
    Haggis McJackass, Jul 31, 2012
    #5
  6. geppy

    geppy Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He is a solid Hw. Struve will probably always lose to the elite, but he could beat most UFC Heavyweights . I would rank him similiar to Kongo, about in the top level gate keeper range.

    He is very young though, so it is a possibilty that he get physcially stronger, and improve as a fighter in many areas... But he will never have the most reliable chin though, that is for sure.
     
    geppy, Jul 31, 2012
    geppy, Jul 31, 2012
    #6
  7. Lynchburg

    Lynchburg Guest

    Struve will be retired by 27... either that or he'll end up "Goodridged" by the time he's 30! :verysad

    Lynchburg
     
    Lynchburg, Jul 31, 2012
    Lynchburg, Jul 31, 2012
    #7
  8. Francis75

    Francis75 FAB 4 Full Member

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    Love watching Struve fight, always exciting. He will never be a champ imo as his chin will let him down but should be a top level heavy as the years pass and he gets older. He's also very skillful on the ground.
     
    Francis75, Aug 1, 2012
    Francis75, Aug 1, 2012
    #8
  9. Travis Fulton

    Travis Fulton The Ironman Full Member

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    legit losses
     
    Travis Fulton, Aug 1, 2012
    Travis Fulton, Aug 1, 2012
    #9
  10. geppy

    geppy Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Struve is an exciting fighter, and I expect him to be in UFC for a long time. It will be intresting to see how he progesses as he gets older, stronger and more experianced.

    His submissions do look really good, but he has yet to display that against a high quality opponent.

    Lets be honest, most pro MMA fighters are on peds. You can tell Struve is not. He is very long and lean. Maybe he will take the high ground, rather than join in like the majority of the fighters.
     
    geppy, Aug 1, 2012
    geppy, Aug 1, 2012
    #10
  11. Vic-JofreBRASIL

    Vic-JofreBRASIL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    He is okay, has good submissions......and that´s all I have to say....
     
    Vic-JofreBRASIL, Aug 1, 2012
    Vic-JofreBRASIL, Aug 1, 2012
    #11
  12. greathamza

    greathamza Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    He is a legit gatekeeper
     
    greathamza, Aug 1, 2012
    greathamza, Aug 1, 2012
    #12
  13. thewinfella

    thewinfella The Golden Boy Full Member

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    I think Struve is always going to be susceptible to dynamic forward movement , and not necessarily by dynamic fighters , just people who close space quickly and throw solid shots , he cannot pull guard and submit the upper echelon of the division from his back the way he did Johnson , and he can't seem to defend swarming attacks from any calibre of fighter , i don't think theres any evidence he'll be a champion , but hey , he's just a kid so who knows ??? , he's a likeable guy with a likeable style , id like to see him reach the top but I'm not sure he will
     
    thewinfella, Aug 1, 2012
    thewinfella, Aug 1, 2012
    #13
  14. AJAX

    AJAX war sonnen! Full Member

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    I still think he can be close to a top 5 guy. If he can get some serious coaching and use his reach and fight like a guy 7 feet tall instead of a guy 6 feet tall. A guy his size who has a very good ground game can be very dangerous he just has to put it all together.
    I think he'll take out miocic.
     
    AJAX, Aug 1, 2012
    AJAX, Aug 1, 2012
    #14
  15. SugarShane_24

    SugarShane_24 ESB good-looking member Full Member

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    If he learns that it's better for his health and career to take less punches then we can expect him longer in the UFC.

    It's probably hell to grapple with a guy with that long limbs especially when he pulls you on his guard.
     
    SugarShane_24, Aug 1, 2012
    SugarShane_24, Aug 1, 2012
    #15
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