Has MMA devolved if Khabib is considered p4p best?

[Blunted_Trauma]

It appears that the pendulum has swung once again. There was a time where pure BJJ reigned supreme and dominated. As MMA evolved, strikers became better grapplers and grapplers became better strikers.

GSP represented a hybrid breed that blended both well and it seemed that this was the prototype that the sport was producing.

Sure some specialists popped up here and there, like Demian Maia, but his inability to take down top competition somewhat exposed his weakness.

The randy couture or khabib style rooted in good control and just enough striking proficiency to open up for takedowns seems to be the best combination.

You would think the p4p best would be well versed everywhere.

Thoughts?

 

[Vulcan]

 

[Danespina]

Strikers became 'better' when UFC fired the likes of Phil Davis, Jon Fitch, Jake Shields, Yushin Okami, Jared Rosholt, and Ryan Bader for no other reason than they were boring -- as well as stopped hiring anyone who was like them.

 

[ovbious]

no

dude is a beast

 

[Huligani]

Strikers became 'better' when UFC fired the likes of Phil Davis, Jon Fitch, Jake Shields, Yushin Okami, Jared Rosholt, and Ryan Bader, for absolutely no reason other than they were boring, and stopped hiring anyone who was like them.

 

[old school 2]

I honestly think he is behind Jones at the moment, but when he beats Tony and maybe Justin I could see it would be obvious.
As far as one dimensional, his wrestling and Judo are top notch, his submission game is excellent, nobody has out struck him and he seems to be very hard to hit. Sounds complete to me.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

It will always be better to specialize in one area of fighting while working on the other aspects of fighting with the goal of maximizing the chances the fight takes place in that fighter's preferred part of the wheelhouse.

 

[ExitLUPin]

There will ALWAYS be room for specialists in MMA

only dumbasses who never turained think the whole "Hory Macdonald started MMA as a kid" type of fighters were gonna flood the game. Thatd make them ironically just as basic as the specialists were when the UFC first started.

We'll always need a mix of both.

 

[Area809]

I mean, you have more guys that predominantly come out to strike, but people don’t make threads about that. Conor, Justin, Wonderboy, Dustin, Robbie, etc. Not everyone is GSP. Smart fighters take advantage of their strengths.

 

[Blunted_Trauma]

It will always be better to specialize in one area of fighting while working on the other aspects of fighting with the goal of maximizing the chances the fight takes place in that fighter's wheelhouse.

I agree.

However as the sport evolves wouldnt one expect that the p4p best would be someone who is exceptional everywhere. The consummate fighter if you will? In 20 years will the p4p best be someone who is specialized in one aspect, uses good strategy and barely proficient in other areas.

 

[toutadixballes]

Just compare Khabib and Askren to understand that Khabib is more well rounded than you think, TS.
He has a good foot work, understand really well distance management, and really hard to hit.

 

[Blunted_Trauma]

Look at the likes of Jon Jones, Demetrius Johnson, and GSP.

 

[Blunted_Trauma]

Just compare Khabib and Askren to understand that Khabib is more well rounded than you think, TS.
He has a good foot work, understand really well distance management, and really hard to hit.

I dont need to be sold on Khabib.

Askren is like a customizable fighter in a videogame where you put all his strength in wrestling and forget to add anything anywhere else.

 

[Egészségére!]

Not devolved, just come full circle. Big difference.

and for the most part the talent is better this time around

Khabib > Randy

 

[toutadixballes]

I dont need to be sold on Khabib.

Askren is like a customizable fighter in a videogame where you put all his strength in wrestling and forget to add anything anywhere else.

Yeah that's Askren.

Khabib is a great wrestler, a great judoka and a good submission artist too.
Plus he's an over the top defensive striker too.
He's well rounded, a striker with a good takedown defense is considered as well rounded, there is a bias against grapplers in the MMA community.

 

[moonwolf]

I agree.

However as the sport evolves wouldnt one expect that the p4p best would be someone who is exceptional everywhere. The consummate fighter if you will? In 20 years will the p4p best be someone who is specialized in one aspect, uses good strategy and barely proficient in other areas.

the best fighter will always be the one who is amazing at one thing and learns everything else well enough to circle back to his strength as needed.

 

[franklinstower]

I agree.

However as the sport evolves wouldnt one expect that the p4p best would be someone who is exceptional everywhere. The consummate fighter if you will? In 20 years will the p4p best be someone who is specialized in one aspect, uses good strategy and barely proficient in other areas.

It might remain the same due to limitations of body type, temperament and time. I think it is very hard to get exceptionally good at one discipline let alone 3 or 4.

 

[Area809]

There will ALWAYS be room for specialists in MMA

only dumbasses who never turained think the whole "Hory Macdonald started MMA as a kid" type of fighters were gonna flood the game. Thatd make them ironically just as basic as the specialists were when the UFC first started.

We'll always need a mix of both.

Totally agree. For every hour Rory spent training wrestling in between other disciplines, someone like Usman has probably spent hundredson of hours on just wrestling alone.

 

[JustOnce]

It would take a lunatic to think Khabib is better than Jon Jones. A complete lunatic.

Competition Jon Jones has faced is incomparablly higher. Jon Jones is once in a life time fighter.

Khabib is getting overhyped in my opinion.

 

[moonwolf]

Look at the likes of Jon Jones, Demetrius Johnson, and GSP.

jones stops striking and reverts back to wrestling when he is outclassed/underpowered,
DJ lost to a dominant wrestler,
GSP learned wrestling as a secondary skill but then turned it into his dominant skill.

 

[Area809]

I honestly think he is behind Jones at the moment, but when he beats Tony and maybe Justin I could see it would be obvious.
As far as one dimensional, his wrestling and Judo are top notch, his submission game is excellent, nobody has out struck him and he seems to be very hard to hit. Sounds complete to me.

Totally agree.
People who say Khabib is not well rounded are not paying attention. Sure, his striking is not pretty, but it’s effective for what he needs. There are plenty of pro boxers whose styles seem awkward but worked for them.