How Do You Think Khamzat Will Perform Against Whittaker?

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

It's impossible to know right now

The version of Khamzat who never gets sick and lives up to his potential would definitely beat Rob in 2024 IMO

But it's likely he's never gonna be 100% healthy again...I'd be surprised at this point if he is ever anything more than a "what if"

 

[TITS]

Khamzat is going send Whittaker out of the octagon with shit in his pants.

 

[Bret 'The Hitman' Hart]

I think he'll look great for a round or 2 and fade out. His cardio is suspect

 

[DjolexMTL]

I strongly believe that Khamzat has some kind of chronic illness that has basically destroyed his conditioning, i think him and his team are keeping it on the lowdown. Whitaker will KO him in the 3rd or 4th once he gases. And i think he retires after this fight.

Yeah, anything but accepting a daggy is under performing

 

[don't ask]

Facts:

1. Khamzat has proven to more or less have a 1.5 round gas tank. He starts strong but fades badly.
2. This is a 5 round fight (his first), and Whittaker has plenty of championship round experience.
3. This is the first true top 10 MW that Khamzat has faced. His only 2 previous fights against true MWs were John Phillips and Gerald Meetschaert. He also fought Usman, a lifelong WW at 185, which doesn't really count in my mind.
4. Whittaker is up in age and has a lot of mileage.

Given these facts, the most obvious outcome would be Khamzat comes out fast, Whittaker withstands the early barrage, Khamzat gasses, and Whittaker wins via decision or possibly a late stoppage. I do give Khamzat a real chance to possibly finish it early. Whittaker has been chinny at times and could easily get caught.

I'm pretty sure Khamzat would have lost a 5 round fight to Usman. Those additional two rounds are the last things in the world Khamzat needs to add to his career.

 

[Fire Belly]

Wonder if we'll see Rob adopt the same stance he used to beat the fuck out of that TUF winner (Clayton someone? The 'this is easy' guy... Looked a bit like the guy from the Goonies) who was 100% wrestling?

 

[Uber_Noober]

Let’s see if hazmat shows up, then if he makes weight

 

[The Big Babou]

I strongly believe that Khamzat has some kind of chronic illness that has basically destroyed his conditioning, i think him and his team are keeping it on the lowdown. Whitaker will KO him in the 3rd or 4th once he gases. And i think he retires after this fight.

I suspect it's a reaction to the jab. Training camp seems to destroy his immune system

 

[Deleted member 504083]

I think he'll blow his wad early

I think his cardio looked decent in his last fight, it's just that he was fighting with one healthy hand since the end of the first round

 

[krelianx]

I think Khamzat will win because of size and strength. But he could very easily spend himself early and lose also. He's a really big guy.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Im just gonna say i dunno. I feel like khamzat still hasnt put it all together, and may be he never will.

Yeah, I think he's mentally kinda weak but in that odd way where he's also super overconfident and young. Dunno if Rob will be the guy to break him but if he doesn't get caught hard in the first 7-8 minutes, I tend to think over 5 rounds Rob will get it done. That said, first round Khamzat is a terror and even if he doesn't finish Rob if he bags a 10-8 or sets a certain precedent it could he enough too.

Way too many talented Russians that turn flaky or have visa troubles. Frodo in Bellator, Amagov in UFC, Zabit, Khamzat, Adam Khaliev etc etc.

 

[HuskySamoan]

I think Khamzat will win because of size and strength. But he could very easily spend himself early and lose also. He's a really big guy.

I don't find him that much bigger than Rob, if at all. Whittaker looked deceptively big next to guys like Jacare, Brunson and others. I find Khamzat kinda thin personally. His arms are smaller and his torso is quite thin, he is for sure a bit broader/longer.

 

[mjfan23]

this place will be dead silent after khamzat suplexes Rob into submission

 

[krelianx]

I don't find him that much bigger than Rob, if at all. Whittaker looked deceptively big next to guys like Jacare, Brunson and others. I find Khamzat kinda thin personally. His arms are smaller and his torso is quite thin, he is for sure a bit broader/longer.

I've always felt he looked small, including against Brunson. Jacare is also not a particularly big MW imo. Next to Izzy, let alone Pereira, he would have looked tiny.

Then again, both Khamzat and Rob fought at WW, so obviously Khamzat is not as large. Everything suggests he is abnormally strong, though.

 

[Neck&Neck]

I think he won’t

 

[HuskySamoan]

this place will be dead silent after khamzat suplexes Rob into submission

I'd be happy, I love Rob but Khamzat vs Dricus is an insane fight, way better for the division, sport and entertainment.

 

[HuskySamoan]

I've always felt he looked small, including against Brunson. Jacare is also not a particularly big MW imo. Next to Izzy, let alone Pereira, he would have looked tiny.

Then again, both Khamzat and Rob fought at WW, so obviously Khamzat is not as large. Everything suggests he is abnormally strong, though.

Dricus als fought at 170lbs, not a fair indicator. Pereira IS huge, Izzy is not...he's tall but look how thin his limbs are, how narrow his shoulders and torso is. Izzy is long and tall, uses it well but he's not big in my opinion...neither is Sean, another former 170lber.

I always looked at Rob as small too but he didn't look that small next to Brunson or Hall to me and I always considered them on the larger side. Robs also physical which counts for a lot. But I think Khamzats size at 185lbs is fairly medium too personally. He's not Rumble.

 

[HolmeZy55]

I've always felt he looked small, including against Brunson. Jacare is also not a particularly big MW imo. Next to Izzy, let alone Pereira, he would have looked tiny.

Then again, both Khamzat and Rob fought at WW, so obviously Khamzat is not as large. Everything suggests he is abnormally strong, though.

I dunno about Khamzat but I have seen Rob up close, the guy is a fucking unit, very big boy.

I reckon he walks around like 220lbs give or take.

 

[krelianx]

I dunno about Khamzat but I have seen Rob up close, the guy is a fucking unit, very big boy.

I reckon he walks around like 220lbs give or take.

He's got a big head that's for sure, hahaha. And he's really built as well.

Love the guy, always root for him. But Khamzat is a scary man.

 

[The Bloody Nine]

Whittaker finishes him

He has arguably the most elite TDD in MMA history and is a top 3 striker in MW history, the DDP fight was an anomaly

Former LW old man Burns dropped Khamzat and gave him all he could handle, I don't think this will be all that close

And people have the nerve to say Bobby gets overrated here.