Gunnar Nelson is a close training partner of UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
So, along with the rest of the world, Nelson watched in a bit of shock as McGregor was winded and submitted in a recent meeting with Nate Diaz at welterweight.
Nelson appeared on a recent edition of “Submission Radio” out of Australia to discuss that fight, along with his own upcoming bout vs. Albert Tumenov.
“He was winning the fight, I thought, but to me it just looked like he punched himself out a little bit, you know. Fighting the bigger guy, I thought he maybe could have used his speed a little bit more and kept himself and instead of using his power and swinging all these punches,” Nelson said. “You know, but it’s easier to say stuff afterwards, but maybe I think that’s maybe what it was. And he said it himself, he said he should have kept his energy better, he should have picked his shots better and moved around Nate to take his time. I think that’s probably what he should have done fighting the bigger opponent. You know, you can’t fight bigger guys relying on power.
“I think maybe that was forced a bit or something. I think he could have taken his time a little bit more and felt Nate out and done his thing, and I think he definitely would have won the fight then. I think he has the skills and I honestly think he’s the better fighter. But yeah, I think the strategy was the problem, you know, or it was like a tactical problem not a technical problem I think. Basically he got tired, he punched a lot of glove. He basically punched a bit too much I think.”
As for his own career, that continues at UFC Fight Night 87 this May against Tumenov. Nelson, who started his run 13-0-1, is now just 1-2 over his last three.
“I’m actually very happy with this fight. I think he’s a very tough fighter and I think it’s a good challenge,” he said. “I think I’m very much into martial arts and doing this as a challenge and for growing. I’m not the best ‘prize fighter’ I believe and entertainer when it comes to all this kind of prize fighting stuff. I really like martial arts and mixed martial arts and I like competing. I like fighting and I like training. Yeah so I think he’s a great fighter and I really look forward to stepping into the octagon with him.”
