Xander Zayas believes what he learned Vs Baraou

It looks like a tricky and ugly fight. Zayas has shown that he’s good at tying up enemies whenever they get close, limiting their ability to land cleanly before resetting the distance. He did just that in his last fight with Jorge Garcia Perez last July, using clinches and short breaks to keep the fight from opening up.

There is little reason to expect otherwise here. As Baraou steps to the line, Zayas appears to grab, lean, and force the referee to separate. People don’t like it, but it serves its purpose. The goal is to stop the momentum before it starts.

If Baraou’s team had prepared properly, they would have worked the fight through the clinch. Fighters are allowed to throw while holding, but most don’t. They rest. They wait for the referee. That passivity is exactly what Zayas relies on.

Garcia Perez fell into that trap. Every time he was arrested, he stopped working and waited for rest. Those times add up. The cycle shifted.

Baraou cannot afford the same mistake. If he accepts the clinch without responding, Zayas will happily reset and repeat the pattern. If he wants to change this fight, he has to force himself. Otherwise, it will appear exactly the way Zayas intended.