Before the game against Darren Trier, I always thought Robert Whitaker was a pure stand-up player. Although he has the ability to seal the Olympic silver wrestler Romero, he has basically maintained the game on the stand in the past. However, starting with Darren Trier, my perception of "Five Star Brother" gradually changed. This change reminds me of another legendary figure who also started out in karate and ended up integrating the techniques of various schools, Georges Saint Pierre (known to many as GSP). Today, I will analyze Whitaker's "GSP" road.
Whitaker learned rigid and flexible karate from an early age, and also maintained a very obvious karate stand during the game. The iconic cat's steps make it move very flexibly and quickly, and the low hands increase the risk of being hit, but also make their punches faster and more unpredictable. There is an article that describes Whitaker's strike technique as "its Xu Rulin", which I think is very appropriate. Whitaker's attacks rarely combine complex combinations (as is the case with many players with karate characteristics), and often combine the most basic two or three clicks, using the most basic clicks or combinations to control the rhythm of the game, while laying the groundwork for sudden critical hits. Therefore, Whitaker matches are often a continuous combination of light and heavy, unhurried and slow playing points, and once the time is right, the game ends with a highly explosive punch or high sweep.
Of course, Whitaker's simple karate style also has obvious flaws. The first was his karate stand, which exposed the lateral collateral ligaments of his knee to his opponents. Once the opponent's kicking and kicking hit, it will bring great damage, and this damage is so serious that it is even irreversible. Whitaker himself was severely injured by Romero, and he must have understood it. The second point is that if you encounter a kickboxing or Muay Thai master, Whitaker's strike efficiency is significantly reduced, and he can only rely on the critical hits that are easy to deform to "draw the prize". I have to admit that at the technical level, modern fighting techniques that absorb the strengths of each family are indeed more delicate than traditional fighting techniques.
Not only was Whitaker killed by the Black Dragon KO, but he also won a very hard match against Muay Thai master Darren Thiel. He and Tyre each knocked down once in the first four rounds, and in the fifth round Thiel's elbow strike left Whitaker bleeding profusely, but fortunately he gained a point advantage in time by hugging and ground suppression. If you really have to stand hard, it is really difficult to say whether you will win or lose. From that game, I could already see that Whitaker was trying to modify the technical system. In addition to developing ground fighting abilities, Whitaker also tried to incorporate Thai sweep kicks to increase the power of kicks, but the effect was not ideal in the game. Against Cannon Neal, Whitaker returned to his original karate-style sweeping kick. Starting with Cannon Neal, Whitaker showed that his biggest improvement in standing was incorporating more boxing elements, fast forward and fast out to catch opponents off guard, as if determined to beat the strength with speed. When it came to facing Gestrum, who was known for his boxing skills, Whitaker's accurate and fast punctures and defensive counterattacks also prevailed. In the promotional video for the pre-match countdown, Whitaker also bluntly said that he had found boxing star Johnny Lewis to learn.
Of course, it is not enough to seek revenge on the Black Dragon just by developing boxing. The reason why I call Whitaker "GSP" is not just that both of them are looking for boxing celebrities to prepare for the battle. The most prominent point is their control over the game. If Whitaker wants to win the Black Dragon, I think the most important thing is to make a difference in the fight. This is also mentioned by the famous pre-match analyst Dan Hardy, who believes that as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Whitaker, who has excellent wrestling ability, plays "level change" and various fighting techniques or can restrain the black dragon. Hardy believes that the Black Dragon may be able to deal with it in the first two rounds, but the last three rounds are difficult to say. Whitaker is able to stabilize Gestrum in his boxing and fighting, and the latter's punching and wrestling are two of his most powerful weapons. Enough to prove that Whitaker's skill tree points are quite comprehensive. Even after being hit by Cannon and Till, he was able to quickly turn into ground grinding points, proving that he had excellent control of the field.
All of this makes Whitaker look like a GSP that takes a minimalist route, and GSP is powerful because of its control of the game and its tactical execution. As long as he wants to stand, no one can drag him into the ground; if he wants to fight, the opponent can only be forced into the ground. I see that potential in Whitaker as well. In terms of mentality, Whitaker is no longer obsessed with hot fights and striving for the end, but hopes to win steadily. This is also very similar to the performance of the middle and late GSP. What's more, he was born in 90 years and is still relatively young among the top middleweight players, and there is still some room for improvement.
Whittaker's ability to defeat the Black Dragon is still unknown, but Black Dragon acknowledges that Whitaker has made great strides in both technology and mentality. This game is bound to be very exciting, so let's wait and see how the two top players perform.
Past interviews
Directed by Li Ke
Kung Fu star Li Bingyuan Jackie Chan female disciple Xu Dongmei