Though it probably won’t
make it onto any year-end lists, UFC London ended up being a fun,
well-rounded card. The wild scrambles between Arnold Allen and
Makwan Amirkhani, the stunning dynamism of Marc Diakiese, the
triumph of Jimi Manuwa at the top of the card, and the emotional
retirement of Brad Pickett to lend everything else a little more
meaning. It was fun, is what I’m saying.
And there, right in the
midst of it, was Gunnar Nelson. Stoic and unreadable, the Icelandic
teammate of Conor McGregor has given us fits for years. Since his
UFC debut in 2012, Gunni has repeatedly demonstrated incredible
dynamism atop a solid bedrock of world-class grappling. In all of
that time, however, he has changed very little, and still prides
himself on figuring opponents out in the cage, without the benefit
of a gameplan. We take Nelson’s London win as an opportunity to
remember just how good he is, but also to delve into our
relationship to the fighter. What is his ceiling, and why does he
so often frustrate our expectations?
About the Podcast
Heavy Hands is a combat sports podcast that focuses on technical analysis. If you're a fan of fighting sports and martial arts and you want to expand your understanding of the finer points of face-punching, then this show is for you.