Khabib Awesomeness

This is true but Sambo guys are notoriously good at smashing from top position. My only concern would be whether Maia can sweep a guy with world class base and dominant top control.

The only reason I'm leaning towards Maia being able to sweep him is size. If sizes are equal, it would be very difficult for Maia.

@Uchi Mata @randomg1t
you're probably right, if maia wasn't bigger i'd give khabib a better chance. though i'd still expect maia to win in a grappling setting.

as it is, he is bigger and has better technique.
 
This is true but Sambo guys are notoriously good at smashing from top position. My only concern would be whether Maia can sweep a guy with world class base and dominant top control.

The only reason I'm leaning towards Maia being able to sweep him is size. If sizes are equal, it would be very difficult for Maia.

@Uchi Mata @randomg1t

I don't really think of Sambo guys as having heavy top games. You don't really need that for Sambo, much like Judo the passing is pretty simple because you usually either land in a pin or turn the guy over. I think of Sambists more for their quick submission entries in transition. Most of what Khabib does on the mat is actually much more like what you'd expect an American folk wrestler to do, he's amazing at using wrist rides and punching people like his gym mates Cain and Cormier (which is where I assume he learned it). I do think Khabib would be hard to sweep, and I agree that with equal sizes whoever got on top first would probably stay there, but with the size difference I do favor Maia.
 
I don't think its unfair to Maia to say that Khabib has more skillful takedowns; and while i love Gunar Nelson his riding is not at that level either.

I think this matchup is actually a lot closer than it might seem at first; at first brush i figured Maia too simply due to size differences, but i could easily see it going like Fitch vs Shields did, with Khabib being the Fitch in this story.


The real question really would be whether he could actually make it out of that AKA madhouse to get such a fight in the first place /neener
 
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