Drew Dober vs. Jason Gonzalez
Phil Mackenzie: Dober is a representative of what I think of as being the Elevation Team’s core strengths and weaknesses. He’s a decent, high-pace kickboxer if not an overwhelming one, with an underrated takedown game in his back pocket. This said, fighters at the gym have a consistent tendency to throw themselves into grappling engagements which get them in trouble (Zingano-Pena with the disastrously over-ambitious crucifix(?), Sims-Trujillo guillotine are the more recent ones I can think of) but against someone without much in the way of a counter-submission or sweep and guard game, his takedowns should be a useful rhythm breaker against the bigger but less experienced fighter.
Drew Dober by unanimous decision.
Zane Simon: Read what Phil said about throwing yourself into trouble? That. Gonzalez is way bigger than Dober and can match him for pace on the feet. I think that could force Dober into some sloppy takedowns and into a fairly aggressive guard game from Gonzalez. Against bigger/better fighters Gonzalez’s grappling could be a real hangup for him, but here I think it gets him the win, especially when coupled with the fact that he seems more likely to KO Dober standing than Dober is to KO him.
Jason Gonzalez via Submission, Round 2.
Staff picking Dober: Nick, Phil, Eddie, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Fraser, Tim
Staff picking Gonzalez: Bissell, Zane
Phil Mackenzie: Dober is a representative of what I think of as being the Elevation Team’s core strengths and weaknesses. He’s a decent, high-pace kickboxer if not an overwhelming one, with an underrated takedown game in his back pocket. This said, fighters at the gym have a consistent tendency to throw themselves into grappling engagements which get them in trouble (Zingano-Pena with the disastrously over-ambitious crucifix(?), Sims-Trujillo guillotine are the more recent ones I can think of) but against someone without much in the way of a counter-submission or sweep and guard game, his takedowns should be a useful rhythm breaker against the bigger but less experienced fighter.
Drew Dober by unanimous decision.
Zane Simon: Read what Phil said about throwing yourself into trouble? That. Gonzalez is way bigger than Dober and can match him for pace on the feet. I think that could force Dober into some sloppy takedowns and into a fairly aggressive guard game from Gonzalez. Against bigger/better fighters Gonzalez’s grappling could be a real hangup for him, but here I think it gets him the win, especially when coupled with the fact that he seems more likely to KO Dober standing than Dober is to KO him.
Jason Gonzalez via Submission, Round 2.
Staff picking Dober: Nick, Phil, Eddie, Dayne, Anton, Mookie, Stephie, Fraser, Tim
Staff picking Gonzalez: Bissell, Zane
