Best Grappler In The UFC?

maia would sub khabib in under a round. obvious choices are maia, jacare, and werdum
 
Khabib is the best
Everyone knows what he’s going to do and they still can’t stop him
Able to force his will on and dominate everyone he’s faced except maybe Tibau who was roided to the grills
 
GOAT grappler = GSP
Current best grappler = khabib
Any other response is just false ( again we are talking about overall MMA grappling )
 
Homervanderjaz said:
Khabibs grappling has significantly evolved since the fights you have mentioned.
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Very much so. And wrestling credentials before your MMA career means shit in MMA. GSP had no wrestling background what so ever and he's the most dominant wrestler in welterweight history while dominating guys like Jake Shields, Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck on the ground. Also, Khabib might have been taken down once by Trujilo, but he took him down 23 times, so there's that.

Imo its hard to compare guys in different weight classes since they've competed against different fighters with different skillsets. But we can all agree Khabib, GSP, Maia, Jones and DC are in the conversation.
 
How many of those wrasslers are in my sig?
 
rjmbrd said:
Georges has been retired for years.

Jon Jones is one of the best MMA adapted grapplers right now. He can take everyone down, but you can never take him down. Multiple submission wins from various positions. Horrifying ground and pound. However, he's a repeat cheater so theres that.
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I'd say the best all-time grappler is prime Jones. He hasn't looked so great in last few fights and has apparently forgotten he can wrestle. The problem with term "grappler" is people define it differently. However, if we define as the total package of everything wrestling/BJJ/catch/sambo/etc. teach (TDs, TDD, clinch, top control, submissions, scrambles, submission defense), he has the most impressive resume of wrestling, submissions, TD and TDD, etc.
 
I tend to think heavy wrestling is a requirement for great "MMA grappling".

For all of Maia's amazing achievements, he definitely struggled against the upper crust of wrestlers and had his game largely locked out.

I would vote Khabib. Great wrestling (GOAT-level against the cage), great control and top game. Even the brief periods he's been on his back have been relatively impressive. And the end result is almost always a mauling or submission.

I'm not counting PED Jones.
 
Beherit said:
Maia a WW who fought at MW many many times can sub a LW ! what an accomplishment ...
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He also got outgrappled by Weidman and Munoz at MW and was unable to do anything against Usman, Colby and Woodley. Don't get me wrong, he's still a great grappler overall, but not the best.
 
Homervanderjaz said:
Khabibs grappling has significantly evolved since the fights you have mentioned.
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No doubt about it.

Presumably you feel the same about most of the guys currently #1 in their division on very long win streaks.
 
Khabib and GSP are at the top if we're talking about best implementation of grappling in MMA.

Maia is under them, but you could argue he'd beat them in a straight up grappling match.
 
mkt said:
He also got outgrappled by Weidman and Munoz at MW and was unable to do anything against Usman, Colby and Woodley. Don't get me wrong, he's still a great grappler overall, but not the best.
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never said he was, khabib is the current best grappler in the UFC.

However if they fought, Maia subs khabib 100 per cent, the size difference is just too much, and in grappling size is very important.
 
TheAmericanGazelle said:
I tend to think heavy wrestling is a requirement for great "MMA grappling".

For all of Maia's amazing achievements, he definitely struggled against the upper crust of wrestlers and had his game largely locked out.

I would vote Khabib. Great wrestling (GOAT-level against the cage), great control and top game. Even the brief periods he's been on his back have been relatively impressive. And the end result is almost always a mauling or submission.

I'm not counting PED Jones.
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If we don't count Jones, I'll go with Khabib. He has a couple of recent submission wins on top of a bunch of UDs based on stifling wrestling. Cormier is an honorable mention.
 
Zebra Cheeks said:
Yeah man, no doubt khabib hasn’t had a DC to fight, but my counter point is that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have that ability. Right? Just cause you haven’t done something doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t.
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Fair enough. Oddly, Khabib has had a relatively light strength of schedule, through no fault of his own. Tony will be the biggest challenge in his career by a country mile.

But it was a whole lot of fun discussing with you and really enjoyed the conversation.
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Cheers.

Are you making a prediction on Khabib x Tony yet?
 
Beherit said:
never said he was, khabib is the current best grappler in the UFC.

However if they fought, Maia subs khabib 100 per cent, the size difference is just too much, and in grappling size is very important.
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I wouldn't say 100%. Khabib is a much more well-rounded grappler than Askren. It's possible his TDD is good enough to keep the fight standing where he's probably win a boring decision. Don't forget Maia is 41 and past his best days. The size difference may wash out with the age difference.
 
mkt said:
I'd say the best all-time grappler is prime Jones. He hasn't looked so great in last few fights and has apparently forgotten he can wrestle. The problem with term "grappler" is people define it differently. However, if we define as the total package of everything wrestling/BJJ/catch/sambo/etc. teach (TDs, TDD, clinch, top control, submissions, scrambles, submission defense), he has the most impressive resume of wrestling, submissions, TD and TDD, etc.
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I agree with the caveat that he's failed multiple tests for multiple PEDS.

Granted Georges only fought once under USADA, but we can only go off what we know. I'd also argue Kosheck and Penn in his prime were both spectacular counter-wrestlers and Georges made it look pretty easy.
 
mkt said:
He also got outgrappled by Weidman and Munoz at MW and was unable to do anything against Usman, Colby and Woodley. Don't get me wrong, he's still a great grappler overall, but not the best.
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Weidman taking Maia down then refusing to grapple is hardly out grappling someone. Watch that fight again. About 14 minutes of the 15 minute fight was on the feet, and when it hit the mat, Weidman pulled away.
 
mkt said:
I wouldn't say 100%. Khabib is a much more well-rounded grappler than Askren. It's possible his TDD is good enough to keep the fight standing where he's probably win a boring decision. Don't forget Maia is 41 and past his best days. The size difference may wash out with the age difference.
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I was talking about prime Maia, my bad I didn't mentioned it. But you are right, today khabib probably win by striking and defending takedowns.
 
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