Invicta 6: Cyborg vs Marlos Coenen Head to Toe Breakdown

Marloes Coenen fell short in her first attempt at defeating Cristiane Cyborg. Some saw it as a demolishing of sorts, like in the article from Maggie Hendricks of Yahoo! Sports blog.

While the supposed dominance is debatable, the bout left Coenen searching for answer after a third-round defeat. Now, Coenen is the Invicta FC champion, and Cyborg is once again gunning to dethrone the Dutch veteran. 

Coenen is sure to have developed a game plan for their upcoming bout at Invicta 6. Whether or not she has found the answers to unlock the violent puzzle that is Cristiane Justino (formerly Santos) will be noted on Saturday.

Coenen is one of the few women who is unfazed by the sheer power and dominance of Cyborg. The submission artist is stiff competition for the Brazilian striker and is sure to test her cardio and willpower as she pushes the fight deep into the championship rounds.

No matter who wins the event, spectators should expect powerful strikes, intelligent clinch work, explosive ground games and a possibly abrupt finish.

Stand-Up

Cyborg is the female version of Wanderlei Silva, and she is every bit as terrifying. Everything she throws is with ill intent. Rarely does Cyborg look to establish a jab or work straight punches. She often opts for seemingly endless hooks that force her opponents to clam up rather than retaliate.

In the stand-up, Coenen must snap the straight punches and get out of the way once they land. She did well to land punches in the first bout. The mistake she made was staying in the pocket and absorbing Cyborg's shots after her own combinations were complete.

Coenen has to remember two key factors when striking with Cyborg.

First, she can pepper the Brazilian thanks to straight punches landing before her opponent's round punches. Second, if Coenen can move in diagonal lines during her escape, she can frustrate and tire Cyborg. She will always chase, and Coenen can use it to her advantage.

Overall, Cyborg has the advantage in the stand-up because she imposes her game every time she enters a cage. Coenen has a chance to best the Brazilian if she can stay smart every round. But it will only take one mistake to render the champion's efforts a waste.

The Clinch

Coenen did well in the Strikeforce bout to marginalize Cyborg's usually destructive clinch game. Coenen was stronger than many of Cyborg's previous opponents, and the Brazilian was noticeably stifled when tied up.

No woman will outmuscle Cyborg. The key is controlling her available movement and working hard in close, not giving her room to strike.

When Cyborg finds an obstacle, she attempts to smash through it. Overly asserting herself in the clinch can leave her open for takedowns, however. She needs to work Coenen against the cage, effectively trapping her. Once there she can decide when to create space and strike.

Cyborg can run a back-and-forth game to exhaust Coenen once she presses her against the cage. In doing so she can push off for momentary bursts, only to return to the clinch and the press. Coenen will be forced to work hard to stop the separations from continuing. That focus on stopping Cyborg will take the champion out of her own attacking game.

Coenen, on the other hand, must find a way to thwart the contender's aggression in the clinch. By doing so, she can create her own pace. She must work in short punches, quick knees and trip attempts. Constant movement and diversity mean Cyborg has to keep working. 

Coenen has to utilize movement while keeping tight and avoiding separation until she's ready to escape to standing. It is an exhausting gambit up close, but it can pay dividends if Coenen has trained her stamina well.

Takedowns

Coenen had two solid takedown attempts in the Strikeforce bout, neither of which did her any good.

Her first effort was to pull guard, which she did well. However, once on the ground, Cyborg laid a beating on her. Controlling the Brazilian from the bottom is not an option. One must "hit the ground running" if one wants to lock a submission on the powerful striker.

Coenen's second attempt at a takedown was a beautifully executed double-leg in the third round. With all of its textbook grace and speed, it earned her absolutely nothing. Cyborg did not budge. In fact, she barely sprawled and instead flexed and pushed Coenen to her back.

Taking Cyborg to the ground is often a Pyrrhic victory. One must stand in front of her and take punishment as one searches for an opening to exploit. A shot often leaves a fighter feeling as if she ran into a brick wall. The clinch, on the other hand, earns an opponent a bevy of punishing strikes that renders the effort regrettable.

In short, how to get Cyborg to the ground without Olympic wrestling or judo is a question mark. Even with such credentialed skill, one would still be forced to find an opening that does not involve a knockout on the way in.

The Ground

One would assume Coenen's best opportunity to defend her belt successfully would come from her established ground game. She has bested many on the ground, and thus, the canvas should be where she can take control of the fight.

But anyone who saw the last fight knows why that would be the wrong strategy for Coenen.

Cyborg is ridiculously powerful. Coenen cannot rely on controlling the Brazilian after pulling guard or baiting being taken down. She learned in the first fight that being on the bottom earns little more than devastating punches to the face.

For Cyborg, the ground game is a tightrope that she has become adept at walking. She knows if she can keep the Dutch submission artist trapped in front of her, she can break her will with ground-and-pound. If Coenen is on her back, she cannot move away from Cyborg's strikes.

Coenen may be a wizard on the ground, but the Brazilian brute can likely snuff out any trickery coming from open or closed guard. Cyborg's swarm from top position is likely her path to a victory if the stand-up becomes a frustrating chasing game.

If Coenen wants to have advantage on the ground, she will have to find a way to get Cyborg on her back. On paper the task appears almost impossible. Clinch trips or clever ground reversals from the bottom are likely her only hope.

Winning Strategy

It is always tough to predict how a fight will turn out. A single punch landing clean can render all previous contemplation a study in ignorance. So while the fight could hold just about any outcome in store for spectators, each fighter has some clear pathways to victory.

Cyborg has to continue to do what she does so well. She cannot allow Coenen to feel like the fight is going her way at any point. She must swarm, press and trap the champion until she breaks her will.

If she has trouble finding her mark on Coenen early, she must resort to controlled aggression. With proper control, she can find the opportunities to trap her foe in corners and implement her usual destructive striking.

Coenen will be forced to fight perfectly in order to win. Cyborg has the more direct path to victory, and Coenen is thus forced to work hard to capitalize on what small opportunities arise.

The champion needs to be in better shape than the challenger. She has to work stiff straights and keep a constant pace when in stand-up. If Coenen is implementing her stand-up game correctly, it will look something like a Frankie Edgar strategy.

In the clinch, she must hold the Brazilian close as she looks for trips and short strikes. All the while she must remain moving and not allow Cyborg to press her against the cage.

If Coenen can find a way to bring the fight to the canvas, she must end up on top. From top position she can finally control the pace and power of Cyborg. Submissions are not impossible once Cyborg is worn down over the course of a fight.