How does Islam Do Against the Top 5 WWs

[BroScienceTalkatWork]

Slightly over 1 lb per month is not difficult for anybody, and Islam isn't Leon Scott. These guys are all running on a calorie deficit to fight wherever they fight, which is why almost everybody looks better moving up than they do moving down. I don't know why we're pretending Islam would have to make LW to fight Brady making WW, but they'd be within 5 lbs of each other, and whatever minor size or strength advantage Brady has would be less than the difference in striking ability.

I'll eat my words if Brady can show up and grapplefuck Islam Makhachev, but that seems like about the worst possible gameplan for anybody to pin their hopes on.

A pound a month of lean mass (not water weight) is extremely difficult when you've been lifting your entire life.

And he's only gonna have half the year to just bulk and add weight.. Unless he's going the Jon Jones route. Get the title and take time off to "tack on mass". Islam wouldn't do that.

Finally Sean Brady fights at 197. Islam fights at 178 dude. He walks around in the mid 180s. Aint no minor difference man

 

[BroScienceTalkatWork]

Slightly over 1 lb per month is not difficult for anybody, and Islam isn't Leon Scott. These guys are all running on a calorie deficit to fight wherever they fight, which is why almost everybody looks better moving up than they do moving down. I don't know why we're pretending Islam would have to make LW to fight Brady making WW, but they'd be within 5 lbs of each other, and whatever minor size or strength advantage Brady has would be less than the difference in striking ability.

I'll eat my words if Brady can show up and grapplefuck Islam Makhachev, but that seems like about the worst possible gameplan for anybody to pin their hopes on.

Then again, if Islam blasts for a couple months he could get it done. Don't know how those Dagestani's feel about the funk...

 

[fortheo]

Islam ultimately took Dustin down and subbed him, I’m not expecting Islam to steam roll JDM, but saying Belal’s grappling wasn’t effective so Islam’s won’t is weird to me when Islam is an objectively better grappler.

I'm more so confident in JDM because of the fact that he spent a lot of time scrambling with gilbert burns without ever being put in much danger, that combined with the improved TDD he showed over the weekend makes me a lot more confident in him going against islam, especially since islam is moving up 15lbs in weight.

 

[Bilzerian]

I really really want to see Islam vs Brady, I think that's gonna be a crazy fight.

Islam will beat Brady up in striking exchange so badly. That chinny grappler can't take those shot long enough

 

[joy2day]

Yeah obviously it’s a weight class up and everything is gonna be a question for Islam there, but Islam is technically a lot better than Belal, so writing the grappling off because Belal wasn’t successful is wrong imo. JDM will have to solve different problems in there with Islam.

I don't know how much better he is honestly. Volk did a pretty good job avoiding his TDs all things considered with him being so small. I think bigger guys that are good at avoiding TDs will give Islam trouble.

 

[AdamWarlock]

islam moving to ww is good, let's see him facing real killers and if he still win he's as legit as they come

if he dominates ww champ then khabib would've too

 

[Rapa]

Brady
Shavkat
Usman
Garry
Leon all of them fuck him up

 

[usernamee]

Islam will beat Brady up in striking exchange so badly. That chinny grappler can't take those shot long enough

Yeah that matchup seems horrible for Brady. Islam is gonna shut down the rasslin and be way better on the feet.

 

[UppercutFromHades]

We're about to find out, but with reference to the guys OP named, I favour Islam to a solid or moderate degree against all.

TBH I think Islam matches up favourably against these guys. I think he likely dominates JDM (80%) and Ian Garry (85%) with overwhelming grappling — both lack the tools to stop his pressure and control. Remember he is not actually smaller than these guys if he doesn't have to cut. He beats Sean Brady (65%) by being the more refined, composed version of a similar style - although Islam's ground game is better. Leon presents a striking test - maybe - but Islam’s pace and clinch work break him down over five. Plus, Leon gets hit too much. Shavkat (55%) is his toughest test. He brings an offense Islam hasn’t faced,

I didnt consider Usman as that fight wont happen. Usman is far too far gone.

If Islam's chin is firm at WW - it's going to be a dominant run I feel.

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

Hopefully this gives you an idea about how he might do.

 

[Nausicaa]

They aren't updated on the site today for exact order, but by pulling out Belal, we get:
Champ- JDM
1) Sean Brady
2) Shavkat
3) Leon
4) Usman
5) Garry

JDM is too much for Islam. The way Belal couldn't keep him down gives me little reason to believe Islam could.

I have a theory that Brady has improved a lot since he lost to Belal and would be too much for Islam with his dominant grappling- Islam has not had to deal with another dominant control grappler, and this is a higher weight class. We would be seeing him on the bottom for extended periods unlike before.

Shavkat also would be too much for Islam; I don't see that going well for him, although it might be a grinder. Islam again would have to survive underneath his opponent for extended times.

Leon and Usman may have decayed bad enough to lose to Islam at this point, but if Usman is as good as he was against Khamzat, I'm not so sure. Kham is much bigger than Islam and probably more dominant as a grappler P4P.

I might call the Garry fight a draw, but Islam would be very motivated to win that fight so that he didn't get capped on by Sherbros for "losing to a cuck."

So no, I don't like Islam's chances all that well at WW and think he will struggle with fighting bigger guys in a top 5 that is relatively strong. This division has actually grown intriguing recently, as JDM, Shavkat, Garry, and Brady have emerged as top fighters. Islam picked a tough time to try to clean out the division at WW if that's what he wants to do.

But people want to tell you Ilia is a tougher fight for Islam than anyone in WW and that Islam only moved up to avoid Ilia

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

He is going to beat JDM and would beat everyone on that list not named Shavkat.

 

[Greyscale]

Makhachev is in deep trouble. If can't get fights with short-notice featherweights, he's done.

 

[HuskySamoan]

I really really want to see Islam vs Brady, I think that's gonna be a crazy fight.

Brady vs Morales happening so likely Islam vs Morales.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Loses to all

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

Makhachev is in deep trouble. If can't get fights with short-notice featherweights, he's done.

After he beats Jack, what will your new line be?
Cos haters gotta hate right?

 

[Gregoire1]

Shavkat, Brady, Morales, Rinat, JDM would beat him

 

[Trabaho]

We should first see him once at WW

 

[joy2day]

We should first see him once at WW

Agreed the JDM fight will tell us a lot.

 

[RockyLockridge]

After he beats Jack, what will your new line be?
Cos haters gotta hate right?

and when he doesnt?

we're going to go back to his only relevent win being charles 3 years ago.

what happened to usman when he lost to leon twice, is about to happen to islam. He's one loss away from being yesterdays trash because people start to scrutinize his resume, He will look much much worse.