The light-weight division is like quicksand: Transfer too rapidly or erratically, and it’ll swallow you complete. As Jai Herbert completes his coaching camp forward of his upcoming bout at UFC Abu Dhabi, he at present finds himself knee-deep in that quicksand as he fights to save lots of his profession within the Persian Gulf.
Herbert’s UFC profession has been embroiled by paradox and unwell timing. Driving a 6-fight profitable streak stretching again to 2016, expectations have been sky excessive for a younger, well-rounded Herbert as he made his 2020 Combat Island debut towards the sturdy however manageable Francisco Trinaldo.
Regional Run
These expectations have been actually well-founded, with Herbert’s counter-striking method delivering emphatic outcomes all through his run as Cage Warriors champion. The elements of such an method might be seen on full show in his title defence (and remaining promotional bout) towards Cain Carrizosa, with Herbert opportunistically gaging distance to land a knockdown punch towards the kick-heavy Carrizosa earlier than ending him with a knee up the center as his opponent unwisely tried to brawl towards the cage.
This profession spotlight actually reveals so much in beneath 3 minutes, with Herbert’s cage reducing skill, skittish head motion and timing being put to full use in his masterclass over Carrizosa. Neither have been these aspects merely a flash within the pan, with Herbert’s run to promotional gold being constructed on an unpretentious counter-fighting type, honed all through his Cage Warriors run.
Comparable case research embrace wins over Joe McColgan and Jack Grant, the place Herbert might be seen beguiling his opponents together with his proactive (however exhausting) head motion, earlier than timing their assaults to perfection with well-placed counter strikes, for instance a step-in proper overhand in response to the persistent jab sport of McColgan.
A Sport of Inches
All these technical aspects arguably culminated within the Magnum Opus that by no means was, in Herbert’s brief discover matchup towards an on the time unknown amount in Ilia Topuria. After all for the reason that matchup, the careers of the combatants have gone in contrasting instructions, with Topuria’s ascendancy to the highest of featherweight really starting together with his spotlight reel efficiency over Herbert.
But on the time, the matchmaker gods seemed to be smiling on the Englishman, because the skillset he had cultivated throughout his Cage Warriors run appeared tailormade for aggressive boxing-centric opponents with a attain drawback.
For the primary 5 minutes this seemed to be the case, with Herbert out-boxing Topuria at vary and mitigating his guard passes, earlier than touchdown a devastating head kick that ought to have modified the featherweight title image without end. However to the chagrin of the followers of Volkanovski (and the legal guidelines of physics) Topuria miraculously survived, seeing out the spherical earlier than touchdown an earth-shattering proper overhand as Herbert moved off the cage halfway by way of spherical 2.
Ilia Topuria casually folding Jai Herbert up a weight class. Be careful Volkanovski
#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/WEL8wqcJUB
— The Combat Sport (@TheFightGame___) November 19, 2023
Since that close to world-altering struggle, Herbert has assumed a place as one of many “almost males” of the light-weight division, unable to construct on his victories and falling brief towards notable opposition (Renato Moicano and Ludovit Klein) regardless of his apparent expertise.
His lengthy battle with “almost man” illness goes proper again to that anticipated debut, the place regardless of all of the buildup, the sturdy “however manageable” Francisco Trinaldo proved to be an excessive amount of for the precocious debutant, touchdown a knockout blow within the dying moments of a struggle Herbert had largely dictated, turning a powerful debut right into a irritating setback.
In some other division, a stuttering begin won’t show to be deadly. Marginal divisions are all the time looking out for real expertise, so a loss right here and there won’t be most cancers of the profession.
Light-weight, nonetheless, isn’t any different division, with its excessive turnover charge and extremely gifted top-15, it takes a miracle to entry the rankings with no credible win streak over high opposition. The final 3 champions alone held a mixed 27-fight win streak previous to receiving their pictures at gold, in comparison with 15 at bantamweight and 11 at Middleweight. This, then, will not be atmosphere forgiving of slipups, or appreciative of nuance, as a substitute prioritizing wins over all else in what’s the UFC’s deepest weight class.
Opponent Preview
Coming into this struggle, Herbert is nearly balancing atop the shifting quicksand of light-weight MMA. However a fighter as skilled as he can certainly spot the tremors he should face, as Herbert matches up towards the 0-2 UFC fighter Rolando Bedoya, in what’s actually a win-or-go-home situation for each males.
Bedoya’s sport is based on damaging low kicks popping out of each stances. They’re used each to set a tempo (Bedoya continuously resorts to an orthodox teep kick to create distance and put his opponent on the again foot) and set up entries for pocket exchanges.
It could be rational to imagine that Bedoya does his finest work on the within, if his placing is geared to persistently creating entries. Nonetheless, when within the pocket, Bedoya usually resorts to wild haymakers and sloppy hammerfists to maintain his opponent trustworthy, whereas missing the requisite head motion to make these exchanges really worthwhile.
So, though the attention take a look at factors to Bedoya being a tough matchup for the notoriously “chinny” Herbert, there are actually holes to the Peruvian’s sport that may be readily exploited.
An apparent instance is Bedoya’s use of the orthodox teep, a worthwhile weapon, however solely on the entrance foot, which means that if Herbert is keen to push the tempo and swap the angle every time Bedoya goes southpaw, he’ll be capable to take away one among Bedoya’s key instruments. Moreover, Bedoya’s poor punching mechanics imply that it might be remiss of Herbert to not make use of a excessive guard when standing in vary of Bedoya. In all chance, this can reduce the affect of Bedoya’s clubbing pictures, leaving Herbert with the possibility to land a well-placed counterpunch towards such an motionless opponent.
Ultimate Ideas
It could be a gutting loss to see Jai Herbert exit the stage at this level. His performances show great expertise and particular watchability. However, sadly it does seem that it’s do or die for him at this level, an all too acquainted situation for a dozen gifted lightweights, together with Guram Kutateladze and Beneil Dariush.
