Khabib vs Sakuraba

Taric said:
People talk about the evolution of MMA like it's a real thing but when you look at the division Sakuraba fought in, LHW, I'd pick the likes of Rampage, Shogun, Wanderlei, Liddell, & Randy over Gustafsson, Bader, Volkan, Phil Davis, and Teixeira.

Just because Jones and Comier are amazing doesn't make everyone else at their level... Ryan Bader is the #3 ranked LHW in the world in Sherdog's rankings people. Ryan Bader is not a special fighter.
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I agree

jones is the Fedor of his day

Mma Hasnt evolved that much
 
EradiatedHaggis said:
Answers can be summed up like this.

1. Sakuraba, from hardcore old schoolers.
2. Khabib, from TUF nuthuggers that boo when fighters arent trying to knock each others heads off.
3. Too close to call, from educated fans that know damn well that anyone can be anyone else.

Sakuraba...anyone that thinks he wouldnt stand a chance against Khabib (IF its with Sakuraba in his prime) is a fool especially since he was beating guys like former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman who was far heavier than he was and has Khabib level wrestling skills and was far stronger than him.

It would have been an amazing match between the two fighters.
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Not to mention Randleman was a giant monster of a wrestler compared to Khabob. More speed/power/strength...Just full on monster.

I miss Randleman, dude was a freak.
 
Saku without a doubt.


PRIME Sakuraba has the strength and the balls to fight HW and LHWs.

people who said Khabib and delusional and still does not understand weight classes.
 
Taric said:
People talk about the evolution of MMA like it's a real thing but when you look at the division Sakuraba fought in, LHW, I'd pick the likes of Rampage, Shogun, Wanderlei, Liddell, & Randy over Gustafsson, Bader, Volkan, Phil Davis, and Teixeira.

Just because Jones and Comier are amazing doesn't make everyone else at their level... Ryan Bader is the #3 ranked LHW in the world in Sherdog's rankings people. Ryan Bader is not a special fighter.
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everything in sports is like a evolution. u see it even in break dance... windmills in the 80s was something special but not anymore in the 90s.. and now in the 2010s u see fucking freaking stuff on the floor.

upcomming fighters will always evolve the past, learn from it and getting better and better. that doesnt mean every fighter is better but overall it becomes better.

MMA is a very young sport.
 
Bumblebeef said:
everything in sports is like a evolution. u see it even in break dance... windmills in the 80s was something special but not anymore in the 90s.. and now in the 2010s u see fucking freaking stuff on the floor.

upcomming fighters will always evolve the past, learn from it and getting better and better. that doesnt mean every fighter is better but overall it becomes better.

MMA is a very young sport.
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If MMA were actually evolved every division would be filled with 20 year old kids with a blend of all the styles MMA has to offer.
In reality most of the roster is over the age of 30 and has been fighting in MMA for 10-15 years. Some ranked fighters, like Overeem, have been fighting for 20 years. That is the opposite of evolution. That is stagnation.

There was a massive evolution in MMA from the 90s to the 2000s. The gap from Royce Gracie to Fedor is massive... The gap from Fedor to Conor isn't however... One can easily argue Fedor was a more complete fighter than Conor is. That doesn't show an evolution of the sport.
 
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saku was a mw who mostly fought ww's. he'd do ok being quite bigger.
 
Sapp said:
Pride abused Saku.
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MMA abuses everyone.

Imagine if Pride did not have mixed weight matches?

Also, look what they did with Mark Hunt! Imagine first 8 matches of your MMA career and you have already fought Wanderlei Silva, Mirko Cro-cop, Fedor and Josh Barnett!
 
Matt Conley said:
This has to be a joke thread.....Sakuraba would win easily... Are you forgetting that Saku fought with the best of all weight divisions and almost always had success until the weight difference became too much. For example he held his own against Wanderlei, Crocop, Igor Vovchanchyn, Guy Mezger, Vitor, Carlos Newton, Rampage Jackson, Noguera, Shamrock, Randleman, Arona who are all extremely good opponents. Granted he didn't always get the win but the fights were always very very competitive and almost none of the people I mentioned could out grapple him.
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I said Sakuraba would have a shot. He had fights with guys bigger than him. I'm a huge fan of his. By "shot" I didn't mean to make it seem like he couldn't win. I say "shot" because no one can say for sure. I'd give Saku the edge.
 
EradiatedHaggis said:
Do you think Khabib could have taken Kevin Randleman easy? Haha if you do...Saku beat Randleman and thus makes a Khabib match a great one.
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Matchups make fights. Saku had a great roll with Carlos Newton and finally caught him a knee bar. I don't think Newton is any bigger than khabib if he doesn't have to cut.
 
Timmahhhh said:
Matchups make fights. Saku had a great roll with Carlos Newton and finally caught him a knee bar. I don't think Newton is any bigger than khabib if he doesn't have to cut.
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Why mention Carlos Newton?!?

Khabib is a pure wrestler that uses strength to have his way...Kevin Randleman was a pure wrestler that used strength to have his way and Randleman could manhandle Khabib because he was far bigger. He could not manhandle Sakuraba who also had a TON of wrestling experience and far more submission experience.

So yeah, matchups make fights.

Saku was able to handle other wrestlers and use their own strength against them.
 
Obitronix said:
Under Pride rules in a Pride ring, who wins between Khabib and prime Kazushi Sakuraba? Before someone says it, I know they're not in the same weight class. Let's say Khabib moved up and kept the same ability. Both guys are great grapplers. I think Saku would have a shot because of how unorthodox he was and due to his submission ability. If Khabib landed shots via ground and pound it might get ugly quick.
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This question intrigues me because I was pondering something similar last night, right after watching only my second Sakuraba fight. I've only been watching mma for less than 3 years so there's still many fights I haven't seen. I stumbled on several Khabib fights very early on and was just hooked, he's pretty much the only fighter I consider myself a real fan of (although I very much like and respect many others... I'm mostly a fan of good fights over fighters).
Anyway... last night I stumbled on Sakuraba vs Newton in a thread and was mesmerized, and also a bit surprised (initially) at the lack of strikes.
TL;DR let a newb watch more Sakuraba and get back to you <Moves>
 
Obitronix said:
I said Sakuraba would have a shot. He had fights with guys bigger than him. I'm a huge fan of his. By "shot" I didn't mean to make it seem like he couldn't win. I say "shot" because no one can say for sure. I'd give Saku the edge.
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Ah I see makes sense now...I just assumed the word "shot" is kinda like when people say well hes got a "punchers chance".
 
WheelOfLife said:
This question intrigues me because I was pondering something similar last night, right after watching only my second Sakuraba fight. I've only been watching mma for less than 3 years so there's still many fights I haven't seen. I stumbled on several Khabib fights very early on and was just hooked, he's pretty much the only fighter I consider myself a real fan of (although I very much like and respect many others... I'm mostly a fan of good fights over fighters).
Anyway... last night I stumbled on Sakuraba vs Newton in a thread and was mesmerized, and also a bit surprised (initially) at the lack of strikes.
TL;DR let a newb watch more Sakuraba and get back to you <Moves>
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Definitely check out Saku's other fights. Khabib is my current fav too.
 
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