Aldo vs. Faber is the most exciting featherweight match -up in history!! Both men are in their primes, and both have similar characteristics that makes picking a clear winner difficult. I have come up with a few key attributes that define great fighters and will see how Faber and Aldo matchup...
Speed: Advantage Aldo
- Jose Aldo Jr. is perhaps the fastest fighter in all of MMA. His speed inside the cage is breathtaking, especially when he swarms on opponents with punches, kicks, and knees. No one that I've seen has the ability to move from 0 to 60 as fast as Aldo. He can literally finish opponents in the blink of an eye. His foot speed is ridiculous and when he commits to an attack its always lightening quick. Faber speed is also impressive, but I don't believe he can match Aldo's "offensive acceleration" (for lack of a better term). This attribute grants Aldo the ability to pounce on opponents and finish them quickly.
Cardio: Advantage Faber
-Urijah Faber cannot get tired. Period. His endurance is legendary and his work ethic top notch. Plus, we have ever seen Aldo dragged into a long fight. He usually finishes his victims within the first two rounds.
Power: Even
-My boxing coach used to say "Speed equals power" and he is right. I believe that Faber probably has the heavier hands of the two but Aldo is no weakling. His power is amplified by raw explosive speed and devastating accuracy. The champion's strikes seemingly come out of nowhere and are always on target. Faber is also probably physically stronger then Aldo, which once again means there is some mustard behind his strikes.
Adaptability: Advantage Faber
-Faber is the most well rounded fighter in the division. He is comfortable in every aspect of the fight game and that makes him a very dangerous opponent. Faber can slug it out, clinch against the fence, or take it to the ground. On the ground Faber has submitted many jiu-jitsu black belts although he has no "formal" BJJ training (with a gi). Aldo doesn't want to play the jiu-jitsu game with Faber. Even though he is a BJJ black belt, the ground game in MMA is a completely different animal. Faber has gorilla strength and explosive scrambling abilities. It is also important to note that Aldo's only loss was by rear naked choke.
Killer Instinct: Advantage Aldo
- Aldo is the ultimate finisher. The Brazilian is like a shark in bloody water when he has his opponent hurt, he swarms and rushes in for the kill. If Faber can take advantage of Aldo's eagerness to finish the fight with well placed counter strikes he might catch the champion. However, that scenario is unlikely because when Aldo smells blood it usually ends quickly and violently.
Although neither man has a distinct advantage (2-2), I'm still leaning towards Jose Aldo. I just can't see how Urijah can overcome his speed and explosive power. Faber dropped two decisions to Mike Brown whom Aldo easily destroyed in two rounds. I also think that Aldo will stuff most of Urijah's takedowns and force the fight to remain standing, thus eliminating Faber's advantage on the ground.
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