Ariel Helwani and Daniel Cormier acknowledge the influence of trainers Eric Nicksick and Dewey Cooper on Francis Ngannou’s ground game!
Francis Ngannou’s ground game has improved monumentally just like his English has!
Francis Ngannou annihilated Stipe Miocic in the second round in the main event of UFC 260 to strike heavyweight gold. The Cameroonian thereby laid the ghosts of his loss against Miocic at UFC 220 to rest. With that win the ‘Predator’ might probably take on light-heavyweight GOAT Jon Jones, who is expected to make his heavyweight debut (currently in a Twitter battle with UFC).
Monday – Another DC & Helwani Episode! Speaking in the recent episode both Ariel Helwani and Daniel Cormier acknowledged the influence Francis Ngannou’s trainers Eric Nicksick and Dewey Cooper(former boxer) have had on Francis’ game. DC then spoke about how much Francis Ngannou’s ground game has improved, referencing the way he sprawled during the first round, when Stipe Miocic attempted a takedown.
‘Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture and Dewey Cooper, what they’ve done with him‘
“Have to give a shoutout, I can’t shout this two guys, out enough”, Helwani said. “Eric Nicksick of Xtreme Couture and Dewey Cooper, what they’ve done with him! Honestly it feels like he is still like an unmolded piece of clay, that’s the scariest part of all this. He is 34! He’s no spring chicken, but it still feels like he’s got 10 more years. And he only kind of like reached a 5, in terms of potential, if his potential was a 10. What those 2 guys have done with him over the past couple of years, nothing short of amazing, so they deserve a lot of credit as well!” (HT LowBro-Sports.com for the transcription)
DC then spoke about how much the takedown-defence shown by Ngannou, would have affected Stipe’s mindset. “If he can’t take him down, the fight’s over…Because Stipe is a wrestler,” Cormier said. “But they all recognized that this is trouble if Stipe can’t take this guy down. And, also you could see it in Miocic – Uh! I thought I would be able to get him to the ground.’ It was a very discouraging look on the face of Stipe after he couldn’t get that takedown. (HT LowBro-Sports.com for the transcription)
What a fairytale Francis Ngannou’s life has been. He will only be looking to go strength to strength from here. A title defense against Jon Jones is probably up next. But the serenely dangerous Ngannou will be up for anything that comes his way!
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