Anyone watch the Brad Scott v DK Yoo fight? Thoughts? For one I was very surprised it actually happened. Expected Yoo to pull out with some excuse or other. No idea why he agreed to do it to be honest? Maybe started believing his own hype? He's clearly not used to actually sparring or getting hit and did everything he could to spoil, tie up, clinch, duck, turn his back, fall over, back hand flail, etc. All panicky beginner stuff. Although actually I don't think either man came out of it looking that good. Yoo got mauled obviously. Not sure what sort of MMA fighter Brad was in his career (grappler? Ground fighter?) but I would expect someone with a 20kg advantage to have got his man out of there in 5 rounds. Or at least have some answers to avoiding or countering the clinch a bit more. I'd hope that Yoo has now lost his following and the emperor's new clothes seen for what they are but I doubt it.
I'm guessing his payday was worth it for him. Havnt seen it yet, but like all these " celebrity boxing" fights, it's often not designed as a fair competition.
I saw Ramsey Dewey's reaction, which is the angriest I've seen him. Then I watched the DK Yoo highlights, and even his best moments don't paint him in the best light, plenty of positive comments from his fans though, predictably. Then I watched a bit of Brad and his promoter talking about it, and Brad was at pains to point out it was a special match, not a fight. They also said that all the judges and the referee were paid by DK Yoo, and went through all the ways DK cheated and gamed the rules. Brad said the only strike, of the handful DK landed, that hurt was a headbutt DK sneaked in during a clinch. He also told his promoter not to be mean about DK, and judging by the clips I've seen he was going easy on him because the money was worth it.
I saw the video posted on DK Yoo channel, well edited and comments about only being able to use one had due to injury, and against a heavier "UFC" fighter. So it looks like this will actually benefit his image in some way as much as damage. They would have been better finding a lighter opponent, but it seems this was driven by DK Yoo
I saw most of it. I'm a little confused over why it was a boxing match at all. It didn't seem like a natural fit for either of them. Yoo had no business there in the first place and Brad looked like he wanted to grapple. The grabbing the back of the head and punching the face is a legitimate issue if this was strictly boxing. I agree with you, Smitfire, that it seemed like Brad should have been able to put Yoo away in five rounds. Neither fighter came out looking terrific. And the pre-fight commentary from folks like Ramsey Dewey were littered with words like "mauled" and "killed." That didn't happen, to my mind. Brad won certainly. But not decisively enough to strip away from Yoo his following. He's still going to be able to say "I went the distance with an established MMA fighter who outweighed me by _____ and is a decade younger." None of that adds to the notion that Yoo is a fraud. On the contrary, framed carefully, it makes him look rather better than he did. If you don't like Yoo, you're going to focus on his loss. If you do, you're going to focus on his survival against the odds. Either way, I doubt it changed many minds.
I think it does add to that notion personally. DK Yoo is all poise, precision and flash during demos but when put under pressure reacts like someone with 6 months of training who's sparring for the first time. A bit of technique in places but a lot of bad habits, gassing and inefficient use of energy.. Which is entirely what the criticism of his demos has been. They look very nice but does it fall apart under pressure? And the answer to that is categorically yes. Does the skill in the demo translate into skill outside the demo? And the answer to that is categorically no. The definition of a fraud is... a person or thing intended to deceive others, typically by unjustifiably claiming or being credited with accomplishments or qualities His demos are intended to show qualities that don't actually exist.
I have no dog in this race, but a couple of points: It really looked to me like Brad was swinging headshots designed to allow Yoo to dodge them. He looked like a fighter out of shape, but also holding back. More like he was being a sparring partner rather than an opponent. Especially when it came to head shots. In Brad's commentary, his promoter said that Yoo was deliberately hanging on Brad's arm to make it look like he was holding on, in order to have the referee break the clinch.
Oh I agree with you. I'm talking from the perspective of a Yoo supporter. None of it is going to convince THEM that he's a fraud. Which I presume was the hope of every Yoo critic. Know what I mean? You're absolutely right. But the intent of this match was to convince those who follow Yoo that he's not worth following. And I don't think this showing was sufficient to do that. So I guess I should have said that it doesn't add to his supporters' notion that he's a fraud. Does that make more sense?
That could very well be the case. That tactic makes sense but I imagine it was the hope of every Yoo critic that Brad would demolish him rather than Yoo sort of "building a case" for a decision win. Know what I mean?
Yeah, I know what you mean, but Brad really didn't look like he was trying to demolish him. My suspicion is that it was agreed show would be put on that would satisfy the majority of both their fans, with an emphasis on not making Yoo look too bad because he was bankrolling the thing.
Well... sort of. My understanding is that Yoo was originally "called out" by Brad. That's the intent I'm talking about. Yoo bankrolling it feels like a different intent, to begin to mitigate the potential damage.
Maybe. My hunch is that Brad is looking for more of these "special matches" because it's easier money than MMA, and a lot less physical punishment. I don't blame him, it's less physical punishment than getting into pro wrestling for a fighter who's looking for a safer paycheck. I wouldn't be surprised if the calling out came after negotiations started with Yoo's team.