Best Elite WW grappler in history?

[TriangleMonkey]

Sometimes it's a lot easier if we could seperate 'grappler' into 'wrestler' and 'submission artist'

Without a gi it’s all grappling

With or without subs? Well in mma we have subs so it’s submission grappling. All styles are welcome

 

[cmw43]

I remember a good few years ago the WW division was consisted of very elite grapplers such as Jake Shields, Rousimar Palhares, Damien Maia, Ben Askren, Jon Fitch etc.

Who would you say was the best grappler out of all of these?
Rousimar Palhares, on paper, seems to be the best, as he beat Jake Shields and Jon Fitch, but his wins are kind of controversial as he was accused of eye pokes in one of them I believe. He is an elite grappler, but he was also prone to bending the rules a little.

Jake Shields victory over Maia, imo, was pretty comprehensive, he really displayed some elite level grappling in that fight.

I really don’t know who was the best out of this lot. Who you do all think?

Note, this question is pure grappling ability, not general MMA ability.

Khabib also deserves a mention, but I wonder how he would have done against prime Fitch, Maia, Palhares, Askren, Shields etc.

I remember a good few years ago the WW division was consisted of very elite grapplers such as Jake Shields, Rousimar Palhares, Damien Maia, Ben Askren, Jon Fitch etc.

Who would you say was the best grappler out of all of these?
Rousimar Palhares, on paper, seems to be the best, as he beat Jake Shields and Jon Fitch, but his wins are kind of controversial as he was accused of eye pokes in one of them I believe. He is an elite grappler, but he was also prone to bending the rules a little.

Jake Shields victory over Maia, imo, was pretty comprehensive, he really displayed some elite level grappling in that fight.

I really don’t know who was the best out of this lot. Who you do all think?

Note, this question is pure grappling ability, not general MMA ability.

Khabib also deserves a mention, but I wonder how he would have done against prime Fitch, Maia, Palhares, Askren, Shields etc.

Palhares is dirty as hell, he was basically trying to blind shields when he was losing there's no "accused" he was guilty.

Prime Palhares got absolutely neutralised on the ground and battered by Alan Belcher.

Shields might get my vote though, his 15 fight win streak going into the GSP fight was pretty epic Lawler, Hendo, Daley, Mayhem, Condit, Mike Pyle, Nick Thompson and Kampmann - all those guys were killers.

 

[FEDORGOATPRIDE15-0]

Maia if it was a strictly grappling match with no strikes, look how he dispatched askren with relative ease.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Define what you mean by "pure grappling." Better yet, provide a competition and ruleset under which they're going to compete against each other.

Maia is the best submission grappler out of everyone listed.

 

[blaseblase]

He is an elite grappler who was kinda big for a LW and could arguably hang in a grappling match against elite WW grapplers.

He didn't though. Speculation is pointless.

 

[OldBoy91]

In straight grappling it's Maia and it isn't particularly close.

MMA grappling you'd have to give it to GSP.

 

[JKS]

GSP no doubt was the best WW grappler.

 

[blewgums]

It’s GSP and only GSP.

Stop being stupid.

 

[OldBoy91]

GSP no doubt was the best WW grappler.

Pure grappler though?

Would depend on the ruleset no?

At ADCC GSP was submitted relatively quickly by career lightweight Leonardo Santos.

I think in MMA GSP is clear by some distance but TS wasn't clear about what he means by pure grappling.

 

[JKS]

Pure grappler though?

Would depend on the ruleset no?

At ADCC GSP was submitted relatively quickly by career lightweight Leonardo Santos.

I think in MMA GSP is clear by some distance but TS wasn't clear about what he means by pure grappling.

Well, he was submitted by Santos in 2005, I think a GSP in his prime and a much more developed grappling game in 2012 would fare much better.

Out of that group I would still take GSP I think.

 

[filthybliss]

Sakuraba if he counts

 

[nonoob]

Shields might get my vote though, his 15 fight win streak going into the GSP fight was pretty epic Lawler, Hendo, Daley, Mayhem, Condit, Mike Pyle, Nick Thompson and Kampmann - all those guys were killers.

Awesome wins, no doubt at all.​

I like GSP in in terms of MMA, he is the best.

All around, my pick as well.​

 

[MDoza]

GSP didn’t even know how to finish a fully locked in armbar..

 

[r-harper-1]

Maia is the best grappler

 

[Koya]

How is it not Maia ?

 

[tgo007]

Maia probably loses a lot of advantages in nogi.

 

[swizztony]

Maia and it’s not even close

 

[BowserJr]

Probably Paul Harris out of those. I thought he'd be a major threat to GSP but nowadays I think gsp would've stuffed him and broke an orbital

Hector Lombard was an interesting WW for a quick sec too

 

[Trabaho]

Maia GSP

 

[Chillez]

GSP end thread /