If you were Khabib's coach...

[delbosque]

...what would you focus on to improve his striking? Keeping in mind that Khabib is/will always be a wrestle-first fighter whose style has been unstoppable so far.

Knowing that he's never going to be an elite striker, what skill(s) would you really want to develop to further mitigate the risk that Khabib gets beat standing?

My first thought is boxing/head movement. Khabib seems to be defensively responsible with his hands and with keeping distance, but if he moves his head like, say, Kelvin Gastelum, then he'd be even more difficult to finish on the feet.

 

[HHJ]

I think his head movement is already good. Porier tried to blitz him and he avoided all the following shots. It might not look pretty but the dude dont get hit. I dont think he needs to improve that much just keep drilling what he has. His speed has increased alot from before.

 

[SpoonDogg]

Knowing that he's never going to be an elite striker

Yet he's pretty much outstruck everyone he's ever fought.

 

[Congo66]

He should just stick to doing what he's doing.
The worst thing that can happen to a grappler is for them to start to think they're a striker.

 

[Harmonica]

First of all, get rid of that ridiculous flying knee. He attempted it about a dozen times, and only two of those times did it make any sense.

Next, I would work on his striking defense, namely - blocking body shots and body/leg kicks... because that's the only thing that can take the wind out of his sails/slow him down and thus prevent him from implementing his usual game plan.

Finally, I would look to improve his dirty boxing in the clinch when his opponent isn't pressed up against the cage. He can take a page out of DC's book there.

 

[Espresso]

Id advice him to fight Tony

 

[Noxcho]

First of all, get rid of that ridiculous flying knee. He has attempted it about a dozen times, and only two of those times did it make any sense.

Next, I would work on his striking defense, namely - blocking body shots and body/leg kicks... because that's the only thing that can take the wind out of his sails/slow him down and thus prevent him from implementing his usual game plan.

Finally, I would look to improve his dirty boxing in the clinch when his opponent isn't pressed up against the cage. He can take a page out of DC's book there.

Khabib uses that flying knee to close the distance. And it works perfectly for that purpose.

 

[HHJ]

Khabib uses that flying knee to close the distance. And it works perfectly for that purpose.

Yeah it never has to actually land,its a smoke screen for a shoot.

 

[Harmonica]

Khabib uses that flying knee to close the distance. And it works perfectly for that purpose.

Yeah, until someone pulls a Fedor and knocks him out in mid-air.

 

[3nigma]

More than one fighter has mentioned that his stand up is awkward or hard to time. He is not easy to hit clean or get anything going.

I would stick to what he is doing.

 

[HHJ]

Yeah, until someone pulls a Fedor and knocks him out in mid-air.

Gathje is the only one who can pull that off. No flying knees against Justin plz

 

[TheIrishPsycho]

I'd probably go buy some alcohol and bacon, trim my unruly beard to a fine bushy moustache, get rid of my towel and go bang my 8 wives.

 

[Harmonica]

Gathje is the only one who can pull that off. No flying knees against Justin plz

Anyone with solid punching power can pull it off.

 

[86_religion]

Yeah, until someone pulls a Fedor and knocks him out in mid-air.

How does someone "Fedor" a mini Fedor?

 

[Harmonica]

How does someone "Fedor" a mini Fedor?

All right... before someone pulls a Marquardt and knocks him out in mid-air.

 

[86_religion]

All right... before someone pulls a Marquardt and knocks him out in mid-air.

Fair enough.