Fighters with the highest Fight IQ

[StoneColdSteveAustin]

A lot of guys actually. Randy couture. Machida, Kenny Florian, Dustin, Volk. A lot of guys understand the fight game


Than you have guys like Romero. Guys like him give fights away for free.

 

[TitoSchaubHighIQ]

GSP and Jones are at the top

then you have Adesanya, Usman, Machida and Dominick Cruz

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Black Beast.

He doesn't have a wide range of tools, but he does a good job of maneuvering opponents into giving him openings.

Adesnaya as well. A very crafty counter puncher imo.

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

I think a slightly better question might be who has the highest ratio of accomplishment to skills/abilities/natural talent.

It's kind of been a pet peeve of mine in basketball when people talking about "high IQ players" and then just list top players who are almost all exceptionally athletic and naturally talented, even compared to other pros.

Maybe the guy with the highest basketball IQ is some 8th or 9th guy in the rotation who would otherwise be out of the league if not for a high basketball IQ....similar maybe the fighter with the highest fight IQ is someone who is a .600 fighter who would be a can or lower-league journeyman if not for his fight IQ.

Edit: Obviously, you can be super talented and have a high sport IQ. But I think there is a lot of conflating that goes on with this topic, and fans only select from the top guys as a general rule.

 

[COBRA03]

Jon Jones He knows exactly how much or how little to do in a fight and still win.

 

[Killhippies]

Jones IQ is the key to his success. He knows exactly when to use his tools and what kind of gameplan he needs to enact to squeak out a win. Not as dominant as GSP but just safer to keep his record unblemished.

 

[Paolo Delutis]

Fight IQ

1) A fighter's ability to understand where he or she is most effective in a combat situation and actively pursues this in fight. ( Long range , short range, stand up vs ground ETC)

2) The ability to adjust their initial gameplans throughout the fight, to have more then one path to victory based on real time data or changes in a fight is a sign of high fighter IQ.

3) Creativity and Fluidity while remaining calm between techniques particularly in the application of offense and defense is the final sign of high IQ fighter intelligence ( leg catch to spinning elbow, A takedown directly into a submission, setting traps and capitalizing them in the stand up , being able to nullify an opponents best technique)


With that said my nominations

Jon Jones
Georges st pierre
Demetrius Johnson
Kamaru usman
Amanda Nunes
Izzy
Stipe ( particularly in the second D.C fight)
Khabib

 

[PD4838]

GSP even though it pissed me off and he played it safe after the Serra mauling. Smart on his part and cant blame him I just enjoyed risk taking killer GSP, not blanket GSP as a fan