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Warning: TLDR here.
Noticed that people here were showing interest in his skill set...
Thus I tried to assess his evolution...
Today :
The Anatomy of A Fighter - Khabib... [Part 1]
Myth > Khabib´s skill set hasnt evolved.
[Part 2]:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/d...-the-anatomy-of-a-fighter-khabib-2-2.3844507/
Note: this thread can be seen as an extension of these ones:
Context:
Pre-UFC Run:
> btw Fight 1 & 4: @ LW
> btw Fight 5 & 6: @ WW
> btw Fight 7 & 8: @ LW
> btw Fight 9 & 16: @ WW
UFC Run:
> 9 Fights @ LW.
> 2 fights @ Catchweight (159-160 lbs)
Total = 15 fights @ LW / 12 fights @ WW.
Safe to say that Khabib´s a big LW, realistically a WW...
Orgs:
CSFU: Champions League
Pankration Atrium Cup
Tsumada Fighting Championship
M-1
ProFC
Golden Fist Russia
UFC
Enclosure > Ring,
except:
Pankration Atrium Cup > Open Mat.
UFC > Cage.
I] The [linear] Evolution of Khabib´s striking:
'Linear' because it seems he´s been adding each technique progressively,
while limiting former [awkward] ones...
- Pre-UFC Run:
Limitations:
Very limited kicking game.
Very limited boxing > 1st time he threw:
Noticed that people here were showing interest in his skill set...
Thus I tried to assess his evolution...
Today :
The Anatomy of A Fighter - Khabib... [Part 1]
Myth > Khabib´s skill set hasnt evolved.
[Part 2]:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/d...-the-anatomy-of-a-fighter-khabib-2-2.3844507/
Note: this thread can be seen as an extension of these ones:
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/deconstructing-mma-myths-part-13-1-khabib´s-eastern-european-career.3830345/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/deconstructing-mma-myths-part-13-2-khabib´s-eastern-european-career-the-magomedov-fight.3968083/#post-152507887
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/khabib-did-his-homework-against-no-12.3847089/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/...-a-fighter-khabib-2-2.3844507/#post-145478817
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/deconstructing-mma-myths-part-13-2-khabib´s-eastern-european-career-the-magomedov-fight.3968083/#post-152507887
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/khabib-did-his-homework-against-no-12.3847089/
https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/...-a-fighter-khabib-2-2.3844507/#post-145478817
Context:
Pre-UFC Run:
> btw Fight 1 & 4: @ LW
> btw Fight 5 & 6: @ WW
> btw Fight 7 & 8: @ LW
> btw Fight 9 & 16: @ WW
UFC Run:
> 9 Fights @ LW.
> 2 fights @ Catchweight (159-160 lbs)
Total = 15 fights @ LW / 12 fights @ WW.
Safe to say that Khabib´s a big LW, realistically a WW...
Orgs:
CSFU: Champions League
Pankration Atrium Cup
Tsumada Fighting Championship
M-1
ProFC
Golden Fist Russia
UFC
Enclosure > Ring,
except:
Pankration Atrium Cup > Open Mat.
UFC > Cage.
I] The [linear] Evolution of Khabib´s striking:
'Linear' because it seems he´s been adding each technique progressively,
while limiting former [awkward] ones...
- Pre-UFC Run:
Limitations:
Very limited kicking game.
Very limited boxing > 1st time he threw:
a jab: against Oleg Bagov (8th fight).
an uppercut: against Ashot Shahinyan (12th fight)
His favourite techniques:
overhands, and lead left hooks (against orthodox fighters), without any set-up or combos,
which would prove to be rather problematic, since his opponents would time it, even better than in the UFC:
vs Oleg Bagov, @2mn34: Khabib leading with the left hook, got countered & taken down.
vs Kadzhik Abadzhyan, @ 4mn 55: was "wobbled" & almost dropped.
vs Ramazan Kurbanismailov, @ 0mn30 & @ 2mn35:
an uppercut: against Ashot Shahinyan (12th fight)
His favourite techniques:
overhands, and lead left hooks (against orthodox fighters), without any set-up or combos,
which would prove to be rather problematic, since his opponents would time it, even better than in the UFC:
vs Oleg Bagov, @2mn34: Khabib leading with the left hook, got countered & taken down.
vs Kadzhik Abadzhyan, @ 4mn 55: was "wobbled" & almost dropped.
vs Ramazan Kurbanismailov, @ 0mn30 & @ 2mn35:
On a side note, against Oleg Bagov, headbutts were allowed, and Khabib´s technique there was
pretty weird, safe to say that he hadnt mastered this 'technique'...
Overall, decent striking defence (except for leg kicks), rarely hit flush, decent footwork.
- UFC Run: [move to AKA: 2013]
The Kamal Shalorus fight showcased some interesting inovations:
more left jabs, 1st body shots, less lead left hooks, and more confidence in his uppercuts.
It can actually be viewed as Khabib´s Uppercut Era, which became one of his
go-to-move, as he was literally spamming them during this fight.
Indeed, it was also a lead left uppercut that dropped Tavares and led to the finish.
Against Pat Healy, who´s a bigger, pressure fighter (realistically a WW), Khabib, while moving backwards,
chose again to spam the left uppercut.
He also frequently used the flying knee, to get quicker to the clinch.
But Khabib also instinctively went back to one of his ol´ [awkward] go-to-move:
lead left hooks (7 times: twice countered > by a TD attempt & by a left jab)
Against RDA, a southpaw, Khabib used 'only' twice the lead left hook, but was already using the left jab by
the 3rd Rd.
MJ, if he indeed didnt legit "wobble" him like Kadzhik Abadzhyan did, was clearly
outboxing him, with combos, body shots, and sheer volume.
Against Edson Barboza, Khabib used more jabz, flying knee to reduce the distance & get quicker to the clinch.
In this fight, Khabib showcased a more versatile striking, for the 1st time:
better [diversified] kicks (better leg kicks, more quickness & accuracy in his high kicks) indeed, better jabz, still some weird hammer fist punches on the feet, but better combos jabs/kick,
fence work/dirty boxing, and efficient GNP, progressively inflicting legit damage.
Overall, good striking defence evolution (except for leg kicks), rarely hit flush,
good transition from the ring to the cage, decent footwork [quick at moving backwards].
Note 1:
imo, the Real Estate Agent fight can be seen as an anomaly, boxing-wise: Al deliberately sacrificed
his defence because of the TD threat.. Stationary target that made Khabib´s jab look better than it is...
Note 2:
Knees in the clinch dont really belong to his arsenal, Khabib´s priority is to secure the grip
& work on the double-leg TD near the fence.
Note 3:
As awkward as Khabib´s boxing is, it´s wild/unorthodox enough to earn his opponents´ hespect,
especially his overhands...
Still, since he joined AKA, he´s obviously been working on his tendencies to spam lead left hooks & uppercuts, since he joined AKA, and might limit/avoid them against elite strikers.
pretty weird, safe to say that he hadnt mastered this 'technique'...
Overall, decent striking defence (except for leg kicks), rarely hit flush, decent footwork.
- UFC Run: [move to AKA: 2013]
The Kamal Shalorus fight showcased some interesting inovations:
more left jabs, 1st body shots, less lead left hooks, and more confidence in his uppercuts.
It can actually be viewed as Khabib´s Uppercut Era, which became one of his
go-to-move, as he was literally spamming them during this fight.
Indeed, it was also a lead left uppercut that dropped Tavares and led to the finish.
Against Pat Healy, who´s a bigger, pressure fighter (realistically a WW), Khabib, while moving backwards,
chose again to spam the left uppercut.
He also frequently used the flying knee, to get quicker to the clinch.
But Khabib also instinctively went back to one of his ol´ [awkward] go-to-move:
lead left hooks (7 times: twice countered > by a TD attempt & by a left jab)
Against RDA, a southpaw, Khabib used 'only' twice the lead left hook, but was already using the left jab by
the 3rd Rd.
MJ, if he indeed didnt legit "wobble" him like Kadzhik Abadzhyan did, was clearly
outboxing him, with combos, body shots, and sheer volume.
Against Edson Barboza, Khabib used more jabz, flying knee to reduce the distance & get quicker to the clinch.
In this fight, Khabib showcased a more versatile striking, for the 1st time:
better [diversified] kicks (better leg kicks, more quickness & accuracy in his high kicks) indeed, better jabz, still some weird hammer fist punches on the feet, but better combos jabs/kick,
fence work/dirty boxing, and efficient GNP, progressively inflicting legit damage.
Overall, good striking defence evolution (except for leg kicks), rarely hit flush,
good transition from the ring to the cage, decent footwork [quick at moving backwards].
Note 1:
imo, the Real Estate Agent fight can be seen as an anomaly, boxing-wise: Al deliberately sacrificed
his defence because of the TD threat.. Stationary target that made Khabib´s jab look better than it is...
Note 2:
Knees in the clinch dont really belong to his arsenal, Khabib´s priority is to secure the grip
& work on the double-leg TD near the fence.
Note 3:
As awkward as Khabib´s boxing is, it´s wild/unorthodox enough to earn his opponents´ hespect,
especially his overhands...
Still, since he joined AKA, he´s obviously been working on his tendencies to spam lead left hooks & uppercuts, since he joined AKA, and might limit/avoid them against elite strikers.
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