Has Khabib ever beaten someone as good in grappling as Islam?

[markg171]

Yea, was hesistent to mention Gaethje as I believe his wrestling is vastly overrated, but he was the “wrestler” that was going to give Khabib problems.

Literally nobody thought this except Khabib fans who pre-put it out there as a narrative to make the eventual win better.

Justin himself is the first person who will tell you he hasn't been a wrestler in 17 years.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Khabib ducked Islam

It's funny to say but there was a time when Islam was frustrated with being overlooked by the top 10, AND called out Khabib after a UFC win. Khabib laughed it off but papa Nurmagomedov was angry and shut that shit down right away.

So for all the Khabib kicks his ass talk Islam took away from sparring he could win the fight.

Edit had to go look it up it's UFC 220 when he was all pumped up koing Tibau and Rogan asks him who he would like to fight next.

 

[FilipEmoFights]

It's funny to say but there was a time when Islam was frustrated with being overlooked by the top 10, AND called out Khabib after a UFC win. Khabib laughed it off but papa Nurmagomedov was angry and shut that shit down right away.

So for all the Khabib kicks his ass talk Islam took away from sparring he could win the fight.

Edit had to go look it up it's UFC 220 when he was all pumped up koing Tibau and Rogan asks him who he would like to fight next.

I wasn’t even joking tbh it’s almost a conflict of interest that one team is allowed a grip on the title like that, have the champ ignore his friend who is also the only bad matchup for him in the weight class while making all the other lightweights have to deal with both of them

 

[legedema]

Obviously Khabib beat Islam many times during training,this is also what Islam is always saying.

I think I answered your question

 

[sdpdude9]

This is a common criticism of Khabib but I remember a time during his come up it was he only fought grapplers and would get starched by a good striker.

 

[chinarice]

Well,

he beats up Islam in sparring every day if you want an answer,

Islam is Khabib's life long ragdoll

Islam's coach:

In nine years Khabib never lost a sparring session and only one has come close to him

Khabib Nurmagomedov has one of the most phenomenal records in UFC history. Not only did he finish a picture perfect 29-0 as the UFC lightweight champion, but he only ever lost one solitary round du…

talksport.com

Islam:

That's just a respect thing. Islam by decision if they ever fought.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

He only beat the shit out of Islam in the training room.

 

[STAY GOLD]

Did you seriously mention Gaethje as one of the better grapplers Khabib fought? Poirier is a noticeably better grappler than Gaethje, and for all the flack his grappling gets, McGregor is a clearly better grappler than Gaethje as well.

The best overall grappler Khabib fought was Ali Bagov, who was one of the best grapplers in MMA during his prime in the mid-2010s, but they fought before either were in their prime. Bagov, especially, was far behind the level he'd get to years later. It was still clearly Khabib's best pre-UFC win, and a better win than a number of his UFC wins. Even though he wasn't in his prime (and his fight with Khabib was at WW), Bagov submitted Emeev in 1:30 at WW in both of their 2nd pro fights, and that remains the only submission loss of Emeev's career 16 years later.



I would say the best grapplers Khabib fought were:

Bagov
Tibau
RDA
Healy
Tavares

But Bagov wasn't in his prime, and many thought he lost to Tibau. After those 5, it's probably guys like Poirier, Eldarov, and Shalorus. I don't think the vast majority of his resume past those 8 are notable grapplers.

An Ali Bagov shout outside of the Worldwide forum. Let’s go.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

khabib lost to gleison tibau, bigger stronger opponent defeats their mountain goat wrestling

 

[MMACro]

Literally nobody thought this except Khabib fans who pre-put it out there as a narrative to make the eventual win better.

BULLSHIT
It absolutely was wide common opinion that Justin's ncaa d1 wrestling could help him to stop Khabib and he himself prior to the fight said his wrestling experience with his footwork will make the difference,he had to believe that of course being a contender
Turns out it wasnt nearly enough but dont spin the story now how nobody thought Justin can defend his takedowns

And to this day, as i mentioned Justin hasnt been wrestlefucked by anyone except Khabib.Chandler got him down and Justin immidieatly reversed him.

 

[bjjwar]

But who is this magical grappler who would make the difference between L and W?

Thats the thing, Khabib would have absolutely murdered Arman who got outgrappled by frking Gamrot and Olives who would have folded like there’s no tmrw with Khabibs relentless pressure…

And people forget that Islam was already 5 yrs in the UFC when Khabib was still fighting and Islam had 8 fights but not 1 single person saw him even close to Khabib lol.

 

[hbombbisping]

people are just bigging up Islam now because he's double champ now and they don't want to admit that Khabib is the GOAT



Better to divide than be conquered amirite buddeh?

 

[markg171]

BULLSHIT
It absolutely was wide common opinion that Justin's ncaa d1 wrestling could help him to stop Khabib and he himself prior to the fight said his wrestling experience with his footwork will make the difference,he had to believe that of course being a contender
Turns out it wasnt nearly enough but dont spin the story now how nobody thought Justin can defend his takedowns

And to this day, as i mentioned Justin hasnt been wrestlefucked by anyone except Khabib.Chandler got him down and Justin immidieatly reversed him.

Khabib was a -350 favourite against Justin. Stop with the revisionist history.

Khabib did what everybody with a brain thought he'd do to Homer.

 

[Westbrick]

The only grappler he fought was Tibau and he lost every round

 

[Bork Neslar]

Gaybib is retired, so it's a pointless question.

 

[volcom5]

Literally nobody thought this except Khabib fans who pre-put it out there as a narrative to make the eventual win better.

Justin himself is the first person who will tell you he hasn't been a wrestler in 17 years.

There were a good handful of people like D1 Wrestler or whatever his name was that thought Gaethje was going to give Khabib problems, I never thought highly of Gaethje in the first place, I still don’t. Imo RDA is a better win to me than Gaethje as he actually utilizes his grappling, but imo I don’t think wrestler or grappler would’ve been the one to give Khabib problems, a fighter like Jose Aldo would’ve given problems, too bad there isn’t one at LW at the time.

 

[MMACro]

Khabib was a -350 favourite against Justin. Stop with the revisionist history.

Lol so?Got nothing to do with what people were saying,not all of them because majority of us thought Khabib wins,but many thought what i wrote so you are the one who should stop spinning the narratives

 

[tasticles]

Khabib ducked Islam

That was probably a wise decision. He might be a shitbag person, but he isn't dumb.

 

[markg171]

Lol so?Got nothing to do with what people were saying,not all of them because majority of us thought Khabib wins,but many thought what i wrote so you are the one who should stop spinning the narratives

I'm not even going to bother with a June 2025 account trying to tell me what Sherdoggers were saying in 2020 when Khabib and Justin fought.

You were probably still on Youtube Kids.

 

[markg171]

There were a good handful of people like D1 Wrestler or whatever his name was that thought Gaethje was going to give Khabib problems, I never thought highly of Gaethje in the first place, I still don’t. Imo RDA is a better win to me than Gaethje as he actually utilizes his grappling, but imo I don’t think wrestler or grappler would’ve been the one to give Khabib problems, a fighter like Jose Aldo would’ve given problems, too bad there isn’t one at LW at the time.

There's a reason why Khabib turned Aldo down when the matchup was offered for the interim LW title a full 2 years before Khabib ever even got to the title: he and his team knew damn well that his kryptonite was someone who would force a standup fight like Tibau did.

And Aldo's a hell of a lot better of a striker than Tibau was.