Islam Makhachev better than Khabib?

[itz reggie]

Islam is more well-rounded, but Khabib is the better fighter, might be the best grappler of all time.

 

[Nausicaa]

Khabib is the most dominant on the ground in light weight division and is heavily favored on the ground against ANY one in light weight division.

As a fan, you could watch khabib fight and be very confident that he will dominate given his wrestling prowess. You can watch him fight, be chill and not really be nervous (as his fan).

Islam, on the other hand, is elite in all facets and though his wrestling/ground game is no where near the dominance of khabib, but it is still elite and given the current ground talents in his division, you would favor him on the ground against anyone in his division, in an MMA match.

As a fan and watching Islam fight, I am always still nervous and will worry he might lose.

In terms of legacy, Islam is on path to surpass khabib and one can even argue that he already has.

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

Islam is more well rounded. Khabib may be 10-15% better at grappling (likely more), but that 10-15 is enough that he’d have Islam’s ass every time

 

[Serbinator85]

coach javier on Podcast “ Islam is the most complete fighter I have ever trained and seen”
Podcaster: So in other words he even better than khabib!!

Coach Javier: No I said Islam is the most complete fighter, not the best. Khabib takes that title simply because his ground game is too dominant. Islam ground game is ridiculously polished and arguably the best in UFC today but khabib ground game was too dominate and insane it simply cant be measured, not to mention Khabib mentality is unmatched.

Podcaster; so both of them in their peak prime lock cage throw key away you got khabib?

Coach Javier; Ask Islam and he will honestly not lie and tell you the truth. Bigger brother is bigger brother after all . Islam most complete but Khabib is and was the most dominant fighter his advantage on ground can not even be measured.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

Khabib vs Islam is for sure a fantasy match up of mine. I feel Islam is better on the feet but Khabib had slighly better ground work. I'd have loved to see them fight, not that it would ever happen.

 

[RichardHarrow]

He's a bit worse as a grappler but unlike Khabib he's shown elite MMA striking.
Absolutely a better, more complete fighter.

I still prefer Nurmagomedov however, his relentlessness made him fun to watch for me.

Precisely. His killer instinct is unmatched. He literally did want to maul people. Islam is also on his way to becoming a legend but there are times when he looks human. You never saw that in Khabib.

 

[Serbinator85]

Khabib vs Islam is for sure a fantasy match up of mine. I feel Islam is better on the feet but Khabib had slighly better ground work. I'd have loved to see them fight, not that it would ever happen.

Khabib smeshes Islam. On another Podcast in 2020 Coach Javier said” Islam and Habib are doing three rounds of sparring, but only stand and for two rounds, Islam is beating Habib’s ass and then the third round comes, and Habib says I had enough of this bullshit guy. He proceeds to take Islam down and just maul him on the ground. Islam most complete but Khabib ground game is unmatched

 

[Serbinator85]

Khabib smeshes Islam. On another Podcast in 2020 Coach Javier said” Islam and Habib are doing three rounds of sparring, but only stand up and for two rounds, Islam is beating Habib’s ass and then the third round comes, and Habib says I had enough of this bullshit guy. He proceeds to take Islam down and just maul him on the ground. Islam most complete but Khabib ground game is unmatched

Their trainer says this as well, genius.

Coach Javier admits Islam is most complete fighter, but because Habib‘s ground game is so dominant Islam could not beat him

 

[Serbinator85]

Based on some comments, it seems many are more in awe at Khabib's dominance in his fights and that nostalgia unbeatable Khabib effect than trying to think technically.

Khabib had many and many fights against guys who weren't near the level recent ones Islam fought. Sure, Khabib had dominant performances vs Conor, Dustin, Gaethje who are still the high tier ones currently. Still tho, we can't simply do A beat B with no diff so settled, otherwise I could say that since Charles defeated Gaethje and Dustin, then Islam easily defeating Charles makes him more impressive...

Islam had a hard time with Dustin, harder time than Khabib did and a harder time than against Charles who beat Dustin, which is why we can't compare by how amazed we felt by the dominance of the fighter. It's well known as well that the longest the wrestling, the elite sambo gets too dominant, specialists that coaches fighters will come with ways to avoid the wrestling by technical analysis with more and more info being laid out, preparing the fighters for very solid take down defenses... which may be the reason you all got the perhaps false impression that Khabib has better grappling.

Jon Jones could earlier take most his opponents to the ground. It was becoming increasingly more difficult. He ragdolled a wrestler Chael Sonnen. Alex Gustaffson could employ a very effective takedown defense. The knowledge in training gyms to nullify certain aspects that's making fights one sided grows each time and a style is overanalyzed to be countered...

Iirc as ppl are saying Islam admitted Khabib as better and all, didn't Khabib say his father knew him and Islam were special but that Islam was someone that stood out even more? May be wrong but I was sure to have read it.

Islam is more talented. But Khabib dominance on ground always wins him a fight. Islam on ground was no match for khabib . Javier admitted this many times. Khabib is simply a grizzly bear on ground with big head and big jaw so KO him on his feet is almost impossible for people his weight