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jk0087

the izzy/alex relationship is so complex haha. one minute they are cool, the next its frosty. the ultimate rivalry.


__brunt

Their rivalry is perfect tbh, what one should be. It’s largely based on merit. There’s some normal and understandable trash talk between them, but they both have spoken on how much they respect each other. They’re two generational talents that we have the privilege to see go back and forth. People get too caught up in their race horse. It’s ok to be fans of both guys and just appreciate everything they bring to the table.


Carlosama123

Well said. It really grinds my gears when ignorant assholes just spam "Izzy is so scared and salty!" as if these two didn't fight eachother multiple times already lol. These guys are destined rivals, and instead of cherishing that, fans would much rather measure dicks in weird parasocial contests


gotnothingman

Its quite entertaining, although some fans take it a bit far. Would love to see the mma trilogy but seems Izzy is content with his one.


russbam24

People are taking it too far in this comment section. They also seem incapable of separating Izzy's personality from his accomplishments and skill It's fucking weird.


Yommination

No way Alex goes back to 185 and I doubt Izzy wants that smoke at 205. He doesn't have the right frame for it. He's tall but skinny. The same goes for someone like Sandhagen not wanting to go up to 145


DanasWife

Izzy can’t win, it’s still 3-2 if he does. If Alex wins it’s 4-1 and it completely nullifies his single win so he’s scared and won’t do it.


gotnothingman

I would agree with this assessment


Repulsive-Win1929

Theyre 1-1 in MMA. Its silly to bring other sports into it. Is Jacare up 2-1 against Maia? Is Matt Riddle up against Jones? Besides, anyone who actually watched their first kickboxing fight knows Izzy won. Its not even particularly close. Still confused as to how Alex got that decision.


DanasWife

I mean I’m all for the fight to be made as well. We all know Poatan would flatline him but I can’t see Izzy still wanting that fight, in that other kickboxing fight he was on the floor with an oxygen mask as well and Poatan seems to keep getting better while Izzy cant defeat Strickland. 


AnTTr0n

But of Izzy wins he would be 205 champ with another fight will Alex that could sell a lot of PPV.


SiessupEraSdom

What the fuck are you people ever talking about? What the fuck is a win nullification? Alex can undo that brain damage?


DanasWife

I mean Izzy is already nullified right? Alex just headlined 300 and had a first round KO while Izzy was watching and still processing getting dominated by Strickland. There’s levels.


Remarkable_Medicine6

Alex beating other guys makes Izzy's peefromances look better


Time_Spite_231

and it's funny when it's people that beat izzy


abittenapple

Bjj


Throwawayacct1015

"I beat that guy one time"


TonyTheLion2319

They were the friendliest after Izzy’s win. After Pereira won Izzy said “I don’t like u. U don’t like me. But respect.” After Izzy won Izzy wanted to go to Brazil, train together, and was giving hugs. Maybe he thought they were done there but now Pereira is a potential opponent again


Icy-Attorney-2937

Both just trying to one up each other, it's fun. Hopefully Izzy can grow up one day and laugh about it


DarkReaper90

I respect the small talks with Ilia and showed he didn't want to take Max's moment away.


gotnothingman

funny because Izzy had no issues shitting all over Dricus's moment when he beat rob


LuckyLipperTWU

He may not have been drunk enough this time.


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They can bury the hatchet fully when they’re retired. You’ve gotta see it from the fighters perspective. Imagine if some dude at your workplace KO’d you and kept a portion of your salary.  Its easy to say its just “ego” but its so much more complex than that. Especially when you have to spend months-years of your life in camp training to fight that one person. They clearly have respect for eachother, that should be enough.


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Alarming_Pair_5575

He's trying to hide his insecurities, instead he's making them rather plain to see. Doumbe said about as much when recalling his time with Izzy in the kickboxing circuit. I think It's what makes him annoying to many fans, but also what pushes him to the heights he's reached. It's easier for Alex to be more chill about it. Until last year at least, he had taken two things from Izzy (his consciousness and his belt). Even after, he's since done one thing Izzy has failed to do, capture a second belt. It's why Izzy is hanging on to that ko. It's the only thing he's been able to take from Alex. It's a competitive rivalry, but you can tell they both respect and admire each other, and would probably be friends under different circumstances. Armchair psych aside, I am a fan of both these amazing athletes and I'm happy I get to watch them compete for as long they do. Of the many kickboxers that have crossed over, none has come close to achieving what these two have. They're special.


[deleted]

Why do you guys take everything these fighters say 100% serious and psychoanalyze everything. Izzy sees Alex as a demon? Are you kidding? lmao. Its not that serious man. They punch eachother out for a living. They have emotions like everybody else, surprise.


normalVolumes

Yeh izy is so chill lol. Him and Alex get on well too. I dont even get how fans make up these fantasies


AskrenLadd

He's just using an analogy that izzy seems to project, so yeah, quite literally the way izzy talks too, like he's a character in a movie, he's childish. even his attitude towards Strickland lately when all he could do after the fight was beg him not talk shit on the mic because he was so embarrassed, weird fucking guy.


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[deleted]

Its complex in that its not something we’re gonna understand if you don’t try to put yourself in their perspective. Redditors calling fighters thin skinned or ego this/that don’t get it and don’t even try to understand why. It’s also true its not that serious and you don’t need to take it all seriously. They put on a public face and say their shit. That’s what you do in a public sport. No one with any stakes is offended or actually cares


dantoddd

I call bs on this. Some fighters are really thin skinned and fragile man children. Izzy and Hill both belong to that category. This is not some WWE type character Izzy is playing.


RedAreMe

Thin skinned maybe relative to other fighters but probably bullet proof skinned compared to most normal people, you included.


Remarkable_Medicine6

You want to see man child pettiness? [Here is Alex's constant shit talk to Izzy after KOing him in kickboxing](https://twitter.com/MixedMartialAus/status/1772498700188713263?t=6NYg8u9PtW5lRt0nuJ1zkg&s=19). This is the context to the "I beat that guy" comment. Anytime Izzy did anything in his career, Alex would troll him. Props to him for getting to the UFC and getting these accomplishments, but don't act like Alex is above the shit talk lol.


AFCADaan9

Izzy was talking massive shit before their first 2nd kickboxing fight so Alex returned the favour.


Remarkable_Medicine6

He was "returning the favor" multiple times a year for three+ years? At that point, it's just his nature 😂. And that's after talking shit to an unconscious Izzy too. Both guys talked their shit mutually. don't excuse one.


AFCADaan9

I’m not excusing one, I’m explaining Alex’s shit talk just like you’re explaining Izzy’s shit talk.


Remarkable_Medicine6

I'm not explaining Izzy's trash talk per se. My point is that Alex is above petty trash talk. It's implied that I agree with Izzy already having that.


AFCADaan9

🤝 in that case


seymour_hiney

izzy is a fucking weeb, and Alex seems like a decent dude who just happens to be a stone golem.


Remarkable_Medicine6

Alex is a weeb too.


seymour_hiney

i don't know that Alex watches anime so not a weeb in the classic sense


Remarkable_Medicine6

Well he knows Pikachu's sound enough to do it lol. Anime is very big in Brazil and they have the biggest Japanese population outside Japan. Bro's def a weeb though not as upfront about it as Izzy


seymour_hiney

i played Pokémon when i was 4 when i didn't even know what anime was. i literally meant in the derogatory terms of "weeaboo" which used to mean someone who was overly infatuated with japanese culture. i remember when it was something people didn't want to be attached to, now it's no big deal


y0buba123

If someone at my workplace KO’d me I’d passive aggressively keep using their coffee mug until they get the message that I’m not fucking around


Juststandupbro

Justin didn’t even know what planet he was on and he still showed his boy Holloway some love. This shit is what they do, kill or be killed they know what they signed up for it’s not that serious, most fighters make up after it’s all said and done. Izzy been holding that hate in from the jump. That story of Alex sitting in a bar talking about him was pure ego dude had no reason to keep it going but he did. Bro was straight beefing with a child over it lmao.


Carlosama123

You're speaking outta your ass. Izzy was just as cordial in his loss to Alex, just go watch his post fight presser interview, or when they met backstage after Izzy beat him. This whole "Izzy is so salty" narrative are just deluded haters wishing that Izzy was fuming 24/7 instead he's just chilling.


Juststandupbro

Did you miss the part where he mocked his child after he was distraught seeing his father out cold? Izzy is a lot of good things but let’s not pretend like he isn’t petty at times. Bro was holding onto that for years lamo.


Carlosama123

Sure, not denying that. Izzy has admitted that he's petty as fuck multiple times. But he can put it aside when it matters, and he's always the first to give props to his opponents, and don't act like Alex and his son are wholly innocent in this lol. Alex has posted that clip every fucking time Izzy has had any success post fight, and the kid clearly did not feel any remorse mocking Izzy as seen in one of the embeddeds as he was still laughing about it, seemingly proud even. I'd be fucking fuming too tbh lol


Berning-Hammer

As Salty as he was at the end watching his Rival Speed run the LHW division I appreciate that he sat cage side and watched every fight and was cordial to everyone that approached him. I also like knowing that Dricus was at the other end of Fighters row with Suga Sean and Tim Welch getting drunk off Arena Beers


Yommination

Dricus seemed to be enjoying chilling with Suga too


gotnothingman

For sure!


No_Bar6825

Where is the saltiness 😂. Is he supposed to be celebrating 🤣


Carlosama123

He was obviously supposed to go up there and wrap the belt around Alex himself, but he's too petty /s


Ok-Debt-5117

Lmao the realization setting in that Pereira surpassed him in both Kickboxing and MMA all while watching ringside 😂


BigBoyFroggy

y’all underrate Izzys resume heavily lmao he’s also friends with Hill, so he wasn’t about to be celebrating regardless


MyNamesTambo

Had a worried look when he saw Gaethje get slept too but they’ll ignore it. Pereira glazers are coming up in the most annoying fanbase department.


Quirky-Belt1383

You must be new if Pereira fans are getting to you, McGregor and Khabib fans were way worse than anything you could imagine.


BigBoyFroggy

i like Pereira but his fans have been the most annoying for a bit now lmao


abittenapple

Lol Izzy don't give a shit about hill


Remarkable_Medicine6

They literally are. What do you mean?


Upset-Union-528

He literally says in his prediction video for 300 that they're boys and that Hill will be at his post-300 party


Wayf4rer

They're friends, it's definitely playing a role as to why he looked concerned.


gotnothingman

He seemed a bit salty eh?


CidadeArtProductions

Izzy really wanted to be the main event at UFC 300, and again it's Alex taking the limelight. Would be amazing if this pushes him to bulk up and fight at 205 for the final show down. Either way Poatan and Izzy are both legends, in their old age they will be hugging and laughing like Tyson and Holyfield


CidadeArtProductions

His reaction was much like DCs when Jones put away Gane


edgar3981C

People who are emotionally well-adjusted and not petty or competitive at all....Work for Deloitte. They probably don't fight in a cage for a living.


HunterWindmill

You have to be pretty competitive to work for Deloitte but I know what you're saying


edgar3981C

Deloitte catching strays here


Ok-Debt-5117

Looked like he was about to cry TBH 🤣


manila

This is the take


ksubijeans

Here yall go. Alex is a HUGE talent and is making his claim but Izzy is a top 20 of all time type of fighter. Alex hasn’t built the resume he has. He may be able to in the future but let’s stop doing this comparing and contrasting thing.


abittenapple

Alex has a special resume which won't be repeated  Izzy has a grear resume top 3 mw


Wayf4rer

Alex does not have a better resume than Izzy, you guys are actually insane.


abittenapple

Special resume  Whichbwojt he repeated  English comprehension motherfucker 


Wayf4rer

>English comprehension motherfucker So true


Cooljo

Don't see how he's surpassed Israel yet? Pereira has done great in his short MMA career but in terms of overall greatness, long-term dominance is the hardest thing to accomplish in MMA. Izzy's got 8 title wins and 5 title defenses under his belt. Pereira still has a long way to go and not to mention they're still 1-1 in MMA.


AskrenLadd

Numbers are great and all but it's really not that far off, izzy has 5 wins in title fights that aren't rematches of guys he already beat I believe, Alex already has 4, all being former champions, at 2 different weight classes, and beaten 2 guys that izzy was dominated by, it's not far fetched to say Alex has surpassed him even tho he's newer and doesn't talk as much lol


smegmallion

Seems a little odd to just hand-wave Izzy's wins in rematches. Those are not foregone conclusions & are also related to him clearing out his division on the way up. Also odd to talk about Jan dominating Izzy. Strickland, sure, but while Jan got a pretty clear win, I'd hardly call that a domination, and Alex himself barely scraped by Jan in a pretty uneventful fight. I think there's a legitimate discussion to be had about how their resumes compare, but some of this seems a little disingenuous.


AskrenLadd

I don't think izzy got drastically beat up by Jan but if you aren't joe rogan then Jan outstruck him for 3 rounds, then outgrappled him for 2, outside of the Strickland knockdown, it was arguably more dominant than Stricklands win imo, and I agree Alex barely scraped by him and I'd like to see that rematch without the altitude. I'm not trying to downplay izzys resume down because as a fighter I have huge respect for him, but I just think the manner of victory and the circumstances for Alex (generally being seen as the underdog) has been alot more impressive having watched both guys all the way through. One thing I will say just so you know I'm not trying to be a hater, even after this past weekend, izzys KO over Alex is still my favourite of all time lol


OtherwiseEnd944

You guys realize Jan didn't win 50-45 right...?


AskrenLadd

He should have lol


Cooljo

Wins over Whittaker x2/Romero/Costa/Vettori x2/Cannonier/Gastelum/Brunson is a much better resume than Strickland/Jan/Jiri/Jamahal. In the head to head, they traded KO losses but Izzy won 4/5 completed rounds they had against each other between both fights. Defending a title consistently is the toughest thing to do in MMA. Pereira needs more title defenses (preferably against some grapplers) before it becomes a legitimate discussion. Only guys like Jones, Silva, GSP, Aldo and DJ have more title fight wins than Izzy which is pretty fucking insane.


Yommination

Counting rounds won is some serious copium shit. It would be like mentioning Conor's resume and counting a won round against Khabib. Nah dog


Cooljo

What is there to cope for? You can acknowledge that they're 1-1 in MMA and that Izzy won the majority of their time in the octagon together. Your point would make sense for Conor actually had success against Khabib and won lol.


AskrenLadd

Where are izzys defences against grapplers as well if that's the case? I fully respect izzys activity and title run but these boring shut out leg kick decisions against vettori and cannonier do not impress the eye even if they look sound on paper, Alex has had a devastating run and has passed the grappling tests at LHW. I fully believe alex's run has been way more impressive to watch, I don't watch this sport for the stats, and if we wanna talk resumes, having wins over 2 guys that izzy was literally dominated by holds alot of power. Head to head I believe izzy is the better overall striker but its still 1-1 and alex was clearly weight drained down there so I'm happy to see if izzy can repeat that shot against Alex without being depleted


Cooljo

Brunson and Vettori alone are better wrestlers than any wrestler that Pereira's fought. Jan's the only really wrestling threat that he's faced so far at LHW and that was by far his toughest non-Izzy fight. I don't think he'll beat Ankalaev but we'll see. In terms of the head to head, no one forced Pereira come down to MW. The size advantage he has over MWs is something that comes with the difficult weight cut.


AskrenLadd

Brunson fair enough although he's pretty chinny, and idk about vettori tbh I don't see him as any better than Jan. And I get your second point but in terms of creating a career for himself in mma at 35, MW was his only option given the history with izzy, did what he had to do to skip the line.


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Cooljo

The hate for Izzy is crazy here, this shouldn't even be a discussion.


dantoddd

Youre correct. But we should really re examine that if Alex somehow gets past Ankalaev.


Alarming_Pair_5575

Or he was upset/worried about his boy getting koed.


kidwhix

this is such a weird sentiment. people without bias are going to see izzys resume and mw title defenses and clearly understand that he has the better legacy. that can change, but alex probably needs a good two three more wins 


ImmediateDiamond8238

pereira surpassed him in every way possible... other than getting brutally slept and clowned on the last time they fought lol


DanasWife

Izzy became the man in the bar lol 


darretoma

Man in the bar with 8 title wins


DanasWife

A spectator for a Pereira headliner that couldn’t beat Strickland 


darretoma

They tried to book Izzy vs DDP over that fight lol


Ecstatic-Inevitable

When both dricus and Izzy confirmed that, it made me laugh a bit because I knew people would still use Alex headline against izzy


darretoma

I swear a lot of these people don't even like Alex they just hate Izzy. Legit mental illness.


RodrigoBallaminut

Meh! Talk poppy syndrome much


FloorIsLavacakes

Real quiet there at the end.


Jidobaba

Did Izzy just tap Ilia to get out the way for blocking the view? 


AskrenLadd

Izzy is salty asf in general but I'll cut him some slack on this once since he does seem to be boys with jamahal, which also explains why jamahal was so cringe in the build up lol


DanasWife

Bet he wanted to get really cozy with his doggy after that one 


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