Do you think Islam is as good, worse or better than Khabib?

[BangBang]

Islam has better hands/striking, and I don't think Khabib can hold Islam down.

Basically, this is Islam's fight to win. Obviously I wouldn't be too surprised if Khabib was able to pull it off, but Islam is definitely looking like the better fighter of the two.

Khabib holds everyone down.This is the way

 

[Ginja_Ninja]

I put them about even. Islam has a good chance to outshine him but LW needs to start producing some real contenders for this to happen.

 

[cmw43]

Islam himself always said Khabib was better. That he couldn't win a single round in sparring. And that's what I'll think until he says otherwise. So many cheerleaders who trained with Khabib made him into some kind of superman and if you want to do that I'm going to hold you to your word.

Islam's probably being respectful as well.

Javier Mendez was saying years back that Islam is the guy who does take rounds from Khabib.

“In all the history, since 2012, since Khabib’s been doing sparring with me in front of my eyes, there has been nobody that’s ever taken a round from him. No one’s ever won a sparring session. Not a sparring session with Khabib ever. Except one man. Islam,”

 

[shoshaf]

That's a stupid argument. Khabib and Javier had said that Islam took rounds off Khabib in sparring and so many fighters have said that the guy they look up to is better than them even when it turned out to be quantifiably untrue. You gotta be like 15 to use that as part of your fucking argument at this point.

Hard to say who's better, Khabib might be the most overrated fighter in MMA history...He was great, fringe top 10 all time but his resume is thin and the idea that he was some unstoppable monster just always felt a bit hyperbolic to me, if he fought guys like Islam, Arman, Bendo, Burns, Khabilov etc. I think youd have seen him struggle and have closer fights similar to the Tibau fight. He just fought very few guys that could grapple at a decent level, let alone wrestle at all that were high level fighters so his strengths just crashed through guys weaknesses. He didn't look too good vs Al I'Aquinta surprisingly.

Anyways, Id still probably favor Khabib to beat Islam but anyone acting like it's an easy fight or a forgone conclusion...I'm weary of. Khabibs chin seems WAY more reliable and even if his cardio seems better to be honest...which I think would play a big factor. If Islam had more power in his strikes, it'd probably sway me but I think Khabib would crash into grappling range even if getting caught and force a serious pace, take away space and it make it his fight. That said? Islam has beaten the better opponents that this point probably and if he defeats Arman/Topuria, definitely. To me it's a 60/40 type thing, they're on each other's levels for sure.

Weird set of names to make your point, I remember Bendo getting starched by Dos Anjos and Bendo beating on Khabilov and Khabib absolutely putting on a clinic on Dos Anjos.

It's not that hard to interpolate how great he was or could have been.

To say he is the most overrated is a bit of a stretch though, I don't see a lot of people saying he is MMA's goat, but his dominance is something we've yet to see.

 

[joy2day]

Islam seems to be able to ride planes without get pwned in power struggles with stewardesses, so he beats Khabib in that way.

Does anyone know if Islam is a part of those weird scams Khabib does to rip fans? Is he a part of that weird jail thing Khabib does?

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Islam can do more, but Khabib is better. Even if his skillset is more limited than Islam he's better at forcing his game than anyone in the sport.

He don't let no one score points for shit.

Khabib is less beatable for most opponents because his grappling advantage is just so huge compared to the vast majority of fighters, and it's even better than Islam's....BUT as far as head to head matchups, Islam probably lights him up.

He's just about the only guy (at 155) out there that can defend Khabib's wrestling, which will allow him to open up the striking like no fighter ever before has been able to, and probably expose how limited Khabib is in that area. I don't think he's as good a grappler as Khabib but MMA has taught us countless times that you don't have to be as good to defend as you need to be to be offensive.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

Both are fucking strong as shit but I would say Islam is more finesse’ whereas Khabib is a damn bull, alpha bull

Both are extremely slick too, but I find that Islam has to be the trickier/slicker fighter in his matchups

Khabib was just a straight mauler hands down

 

[Ares Black]

I think overall he's better.


Much better competition, more well rounded, more power.

 

[YourBoss]

Islam is technically better, both on the feet and on the ground. Khabib has a better gastank and chin. So in a fight i would give Khabib the edge.

 

[JKS]

Islam is a more well rounded fighter and a better striker. He can stand with fighters who have elite striking and do well, while Khabib wouldn't do as well and get out struck clearly.

However, overall Khabib was the better fighter. And that comes down to utilizing the skill set you have in the most effective way and applying the best and most effective strategies and game plans.

You look at common opponents in Poirier. Khabib beat a younger and better version of Poirier and was more dominant in that fight. He didn't strike and just grappled, so he didn't show the well roundness, but he was more dominant and effective with his skill set and game plan.

 

[Pious Augustus]

Same level, just different
Better all-round fighter
Less dominant than Khabib on the ground
Takes more risks
Less charismatic
More knowledgeable about Theoretical physics.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Islam is more technical and has better striking, but worse stamina, less dominant, and less durable.

 

[WhiteMousse]

Not as good. Khabib was an absolute monster. Nothing could stop him. It was unreal