How well would Islam have done in Khabib's era (2012-2020)?

[ShaggyDoyle]

If wr take 155lb Islam when he competed in lightweight division (octover 2022 to June 2025) and replace Khabib with him, during the time period that Khabib competed (2012-2020), how well would he do? Would he do as good as khabib, better or worse?

 

[VAfan]

i've never been a huge supporter of his, but i do think khabib would have been a problem for any fighter in his division, from any era. a bit like with GSP, no one ever came up with an answer for his game. not too many dudes you can say that about. islam, maybe or maybe not in the same category. sampling size still too small.

 

[VinceArch]

I think he'd do just as good.

 

[Ibm]

This dude is absolutely huge for 155. He would have dominated.

 

[No Skill Gap]

i've never been a huge supporter of his, but i do think khabib would have been a problem for any fighter in his division, from any era. a bit like with GSP, no one ever came up with an answer for his game. not too many dudes you can say that about. islam, maybe or maybe not in the same category. sampling size still too small.

Islam has 18 fights in the UFC and Khabib had 13 fights total in the UFC. How could the sample size be too small?

Khabib defended the belt 3 times. Islam defended it 4 times. One guy retired, one guy vacated. Islam won the vacant belt against Oliveira, who was stripped for failing to make weight but then beat Gaethje anyway and beat Porier for a defense prior. Khabib won the vacant belt against Al Iaquinta who was a fringe top 10 fighter, it was a joke of a title win honestly.

Islam lost a fluke KO against a nobody, Khabib (imo) lost vs Tibau in a boring grinding decision. The only real points to make here are that Islam did fight a bunch of aging old guard guys arguably, and maybe Khabib dominated Islam in sparring/training but we don't really know that. Islam's striking is much better. He probably would have been at a similar level.

Funny to think of, I actually think Islam's legacy and GOAT status has to be pretty close or maybe surpassing Khabib. People have some fetish for the undefeated record, but again, Khabib was possibly gifted the win against Tibau. Islam went up to WW and won the belt. Yeah, he would have dominated McGregor, Iaquinta obviously, slightly younger versions of Porier/Gaethje/Oliveria? Barboza, Michael Johnson? Darrell Horcher? Obvious hypothetical answer here.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

2012-2020?

How would Islam do vs Frankie , Bendo , Pettis , Eddie and Conor...

Dude retires with more title defences than Jon Jones...

 

[hbombbisping]

A better, younger version of Poirier fought Khabib in his prime and Islam towards the end of his career here is what he had to say.

 

[Mammothman]

He would dominate everybody from that era except Khabib

 

[hbombbisping]

Islam fought during this era OP

Went life and death with Wade, Barnoui and got starched by Adriano Martins in 2015

 

[HHJ]

Just fine.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

Islam will have the better accomplishments when all is said and done, but I think Beeb would have done him, prime vs. prime.