is Khamzat the most "goalpost-moved" fighter ever?

[Islam Imamate]

This, he was supposed to run through Usman cause he's old, has no knees, took the fight on 10 days notice and arguably didn't even win(he didn't lose though). I don't think the goalpost has been moved that much on him to be honest, he just has a shit load of casual fans that don't watch the sport much and overrated the shit out of him. He's still a very good fighter but this idea that he was going to be a double champ was never based on reality.

In this era he could be a double champ if he could make WW but only because the UFC gives popular fighters an easier road to double champ status. I don't see him doing what Cormier did and defending the belt thrice only to go up and KO one of the GOAT in the division above.

 

[Iroh]

In this era he could be a double champ if he could make WW but only because the UFC gives popular fighters an easier road to double champ status. I don't see him doing what Cormier did and defending the belt thrice only to go up and KO one of the GOAT in the division above.

Sure he could. He just needs to master the art of the eye poke, just like DC did.

Also, if Alex is still champ at LHW, I'd definitely favor Chimaev over him. Not by KO though, but sub obviously.

 

[b00tysweat]

There's no one left he can beat to impress people though.

If he beats Whittaker, Rob is past prime

If he beats Izzy, so what, Sean beat Izzy

If he beats DDP and wins the championship, so what DDP isn't all that

If he beats Leon and wins WW, Leon isn't all that either

There are no more "invicible" fighters now that Kamaru and Izzy got toppled. Now everyone: Izzy, DDP, Sean, Leon, Kamaru, Gilbert, Rob, they're all good but no longer great. No one is going to be impressed by any Khamzat win.

go beat a top 10 MW, go beat a top 5 MW, fight for the title

it isn't a complicated formula

 

[Iroh]

go beat a top 10 MW, go beat a top 5 MW, fight for the title

it isn't a complicated formula

Yeah, but if he beats them, they were never that good. People are already calling Whittaker a WW. LMAO

 

[Kevster]

Aye he probably is, you just got who keeps moving the goalposts comically wrong.

Anybody saying that Burns was even given a chance against Khamzat is lying through their back teeth.

 

[Islam Imamate]

Sure he could. He just needs to master the art of the eye poke, just like DC did.

Also, if Alex is still champ at LHW, I'd definitely favor Chimaev over him. Not by KO though, but sub obviously.

Volkan Ozdemir could gouge Stipes entire left eye out and still never KO Stipe.

go beat a top 10 MW, go beat a top 5 MW, fight for the title

it isn't a complicated formula

There will always be doubters but the more you beat relevant, ranked fighters the fewer there will be and the more unreasonable they will seem.

Right now he has no ranked wins at MW where we expect him to fight out his career. I don't blame his recent lack of activity all on him. Part of it is that he became a star so quickly that the UFC switched gears and seemed to reserve him for big fights rather than let him fight random guys at any weight class every two weeks like he did when he first appeared. I guess he did smoke Meerschaert who isn't ranked but is a solid consistent MW just outside the top 15 who has had good wins since losing to Khamzat but that was almost four years ago now.

 

[Iroh]

Volkan Ozdemir could gouge Stipes entire left eye out and still never KO Stipe.

Yeah, somehow I'd doubt that.

 

[Dionysian]

Sounds more like he's the most babied fighter

You live in a world where:

- Izzy fought 0 grapplers before getting a TS in a division with prime versions of Yoel, Weidman, Jacare, and Rockhold sitting on the top of the division.
- Gane fought literally 0 grapplers in his professional lifetime before getting two TSs.
- Alex fought 0 grapplers before his TS
- O'Malley fought 0 grapplers before his TS, which was awarded via a judge-rigged decision over a top 5 guy while he wasn't ranked in the 10.
- Jon and Conor getting outright roid exemptions
- Conor setting the all-time record for a healthy champ not defending a belt and still maintaining it due to ... wait for it... being on maternity leave for a year (longer than actual mothers)

And you're labeling "most babied" towards Khamzat, despite TWICE him being outright lied to about "if you win this fight, you get a title shot guaranteed"? First at WW with his win over Burns, then again at MW with his win over Kamaru.

You'd better get used to it, because when he gets the belt, people are gonna get extremely frustrated if he doesn't fight often. And frustrated people can be unfair and dishonest.
I'm sure that everyone would love to see him a bit more consistent regarding activity, weight, etc. But I'm not saying he's necessarily always at fault. That also can still change, he fought thrice in two months when he debuted in the UFC, after all.

I get that but what I don't get is why people blame him for Americans not allowing him to fight in America/Western Europe.

That is clearly the problem and clearly isn't his choice unless you subscribe to the "well he had a picture taken with the president of his country so fuck his career" thought

 

[chinarice]

go beat a top 10 MW, go beat a top 5 MW, fight for the title

it isn't a complicated formula

Until he beats them then the goalposts move some more, just like they did at WW. lol

 

[Deceasedxo]

Khamzat is the living embodiment of the pick a fight scene from kung fu hustle.

 

[RockyLockridge]

@Dionysian

It’s actually dricus. No matter who he beats or how many times he wins in a row he always sloppy and sure to lose his next fight

 

[RockyLockridge]

Until he beats them then the goalposts move some more, just like they did at WW. lol

The game is about timing. Khamzat screws up his own opportunities

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

And you're labeling "most babied" towards Khamzat, despite TWICE him being outright lied to about "if you win this fight, you get a title shot guaranteed"? First at WW with his win over Burns, then again at MW with his win over Kamaru.

As far as fan sentiment goes, sure! Nothing is ever Khamzat's fault, apparently.

And grappling orgs exist, by the way.

 

[tritestill]

Full camp Khamzat finishes Usman in the 1st. Dominated him in round 1 with 1 week of prep for him.

Khamzat had full camp and gassed hard, Usman got off the couch. His gas tank is why he would lose lol at you laughing at me, now I laugh at you lol.

 

[chinarice]

Khamzat had full camp and gassed hard, Usman got off the couch. His gas tank is why he would lose lol at you laughing at me, now I laugh at you lol.

LOL you know nothing about professional athletes or combat sports if you think Usman came off the couch. He was training the entire time, just like Khamzat was. Khamzat wasn't preparing for Usman. They had the same amount of time to prep for each other.

I will continue to laugh at you, trust me lol

 

[chinarice]

The game is about timing. Khamzat screws up his own opportunities

Doesn't change the fact about what I said. He was going to lose to Burns, until he didn't then the goalposts moved and LOL BURNS IS A LW and LOL BURNS DROPPED KHAMZAT LULZ EXPOSED HERP DERP

He was going to lose to Usman too....until he didn't.

He was going to lose to Holland according to many, until he didn't. Excuses were made at every turn after he beat all these guys

 

[RockyLockridge]

Doesn't change the fact about what I said. He was going to lose to Burns, until he didn't then the goalposts moved and LOL BURNS IS A LW and LOL BURNS DROPPED KHAMZAT LULZ EXPOSED HERP DERP

He was going to lose to Usman too....until he didn't.

He was going to lose to Holland according to many, until he didn't. Excuses were made at every turn after he beat all these guys

I don't remember any of that, he was a huge favourite in most of those fights (other than burns)


I never worshiped usman like the rest of sherdog I actually don't think he's that good and wouldn't call him a top 5 welterweight (alltime) skills wise, I expected khamzat to win all of those match ups especially kevin holland who can't grapple even kevin knew he was in trouble.

 

[chinarice]

I don't remember any of that, he was a huge favourite in most of those fights (other than burns)


I never worshiped usman like the rest of sherdog I actually don't think he's that good and wouldn't call him a top 5 welterweight (alltime) skills wise, I expected khamzat to win all of those match ups especially kevin holland who can't grapple even kevin knew he was in trouble.

That doesn't change the fact that we were both on Sherdog and this factually happened on these forums.

 

[Iroh]

You live in a world where:

- Izzy fought 0 grapplers before getting a TS in a division with prime versions of Yoel, Weidman, Jacare, and Rockhold sitting on the top of the division.
- Gane fought literally 0 grapplers in his professional lifetime before getting two TSs.
- Alex fought 0 grapplers before his TS
- O'Malley fought 0 grapplers before his TS, which was awarded via a judge-rigged decision over a top 5 guy while he wasn't ranked in the 10.
- Jon and Conor getting outright roid exemptions
- Conor setting the all-time record for a healthy champ not defending a belt and still maintaining it due to ... wait for it... being on maternity leave for a year (longer than actual mothers)

And you're labeling "most babied" towards Khamzat, despite TWICE him being outright lied to about "if you win this fight, you get a title shot guaranteed"? First at WW with his win over Burns, then again at MW with his win over Kamaru.


I get that but what I don't get is why people blame him for Americans not allowing him to fight in America/Western Europe.

That is clearly the problem and clearly isn't his choice unless you subscribe to the "well he had a picture taken with the president of his country so fuck his career" thought

Izzy fought Brunson. But overall great post, bud.

 

[JustforBROCK]

I dont know, I think this happens with everyone fighter in his position now a days. As much money as the UFC and other orgs make the fan base of MMA just isnt that big. And by that I mean it doesnt sustain a sport commentary leg of the sport. MMA websites, shows, etc just dont do big numbers for whatever reason. So IMO that has breed a culture of over analytical, opinionated, skewed commentary from the fan base.