Khabib was better than we thought.

[matrixremaster]

Most people think he's the LW GOAT and many the overall GOAT.

Don't let Sherdog fool you.

 

[JumJum]

I don't think it was the same Khabib no, and I think Khabib was the better fighter of course. He certainly doesn't toss around Tibau who has better career takedown defense than Khabib even. He doesn't do whatever he wants but he can melt a low output guy like Tibau better in his prime then he tried to enroute to getting outstruck at 24.

I don't think Khabib can just bulldoze every LW ever, Prime Bendo would be a nightmare for prime Khabib. A hard 5 rounds easily.

I agree with most of your points however saying the guy who almost lost to masvidal in mostly grappling and clinch fight will give problems to khabib is ridiculous. Dariush, Arman and Gamrot are the only LW's that could give very hard fight or even beating Khabib from all eras.

 

[MeganFan]

 

[HuskySamoan]

I agree with most of your points however saying the guy who lost to masvidal in mostly grappling and clinch fight will give problems to khabib is ridiculous. Dariush, Arman and Gamrot are the only LW's that could give very hard fight or even beating Khabib from all eras.

There's guys outside the UFC who could give Khabib a lot of trouble. Abdulvakhabov and Vartanyan aren't easy fights for Islam or Khabib. A young Chandler would be a nightmare for them, they wouldn't get him down or keep him down and they couldn't handle the speed and power....they'd have to survive/manage until he gassed out late in the 2nd or in the 3rd. Benson is a very tough fight for them, even Shabliy would be, especially now since how much he's worked on his wrestling since the Vartanyan loss (keep an eye out for Shabliy vs Usman in the bellator tournament). Even Penn after last night seemed like a horrible matchup honestly, the then Penn that beat Gomi and Hughes is a hard one too.

There's more than 3 guys lol.

 

[Rick890]

Volk would make it competitive. Khabib didn't fight anyone as good as Volk ever and the one guy he fought with good TDD was...tibau ? His title defences were solid but none of those guys had a clue what to do on the ground.

I agree 100%. I didn't mean to dismiss Volk with my post (if anything it diminishing the supposed God-like abilities of Islam).

You can rationalize it all you want but you're still just speculating. Khabib wasn't in the cage last night, Islam was. Khabib never fought another champ, even a smaller one. And frankly Islam's resume is starting to look alot better than Khabib's was at this point

Obviously we're all just speculating here and my only "credentials" are having watched literally every single UFC PPV event since UFC 1 but going by the "eyeball test" Khabib would've murdered this version of Islam and....... I'm not so sure about Volkanovski.

Connor vs. Khabib was a complete joke and everyone knew what was going happen but Khabib vs. Volkanovski might be my new #1 most exciting potential (not really cuz it will never happen) match-ups of all time.

 

[Wonderfight]

Did you just say Gaethje won the first round vs Khabib?

The same round that Gaethje barely survived and went back to his corner hyperventilating in complete panic, saying 'I can't get him off me' and his corner having to calm him down..?

Yeah, on official judges scorecards even. I knew Gaethje is getting submitted because Khabib showed him no respect (on basis of Gaethje being terrible at grappling), but while he was showing no respect, he has eaten more than a few kicks and punches in the first round. Definitely enough for a round. But as I said, Justin is average fighter with no ground game and average cardio so winning one round didn't get my hopes up. What you describe is just classic Justin, but he still won that round clearly. Landed much more clean damage. Even if only because Khabib didn't really tried to defend. Couple that with Gaethje being volume fighter who needs time to work and yeah, that was terrible matchup altogether. To me, Gaethje was never true top 5 quality and I knew that will be easiest fight for Khabib.

 

[Poirierfan]

Islam isn’t even the same fighter without Khabib in his corner, it’s crazy to think that some people considered him a better fighter.

Khabib’s pressure, chin, and confidence are next level. If those 2 fought under the bright lights Khabib dusts Islam inside 3 rounds

Cardio for days as well, Khabib was unstoppable.

 

[Peli]

A lot of people thought it was crazy to give him the P4P title after the Gaethje fight but that version of Khabib would've decimated Islam and Volkanovski on the same night.

Khabib is a generational Talent. Islam is not. However you don't need to be a generational talent to be a champion.

What Khabib has done in his career is a lot harder than what Islam has done in his career and what Islam has done as been pretty good in his own right but one's a generational talent.

 

[Russ82]

Islam would very likely KO Khabib standing

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

A lot of people thought it was crazy to give him the P4P title after the Gaethje fight but that version of Khabib would've decimated Islam and Volkanovski on the same night.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Islam would very likely KO Khabib standing

I was describing Islam to my mate who is a casual fan and I said "he's like Khabib but a better striker", then I said "oh fuck Volk is in trouble" ha ha

 

[AfroBanana]

Just a reminder

-Islam has fought 155lb 23/25 fights

-Khabib fought 155lb 16/29 fights

Khabib had far more issues with weight cuts. If people are claiming this was a variable for Islam it would be a bigger one for Khabib.

Khabib was having issues taking Al Iaquinta down as the fight progressed.

People are sleeping on Volk and overlooking that Islam had a much tougher title fight.

Islam fought a fighter on a 11 fight win streak that easily beat the 2 guys Khabib claimed were “the best two guys and nothing was left to do”.

Then he fights the legit top p4p fighter who is 12-0 run.

Conversely, I think Islam would have finished Al Iaquinta and been more methodical.

If Volk was able to get to his feet with Khabib he would have tired him out faster and Khabib isn’t is good as Islam on the feet.

Khabib’s hardcore base is probably one of the more moronic fanbases. Khamzat absorbed a bunch of them. They’ll always be trying to dismiss Islam and pad Khabib.

You got to be crazy to think Islam’s first two title fights don’t > Khabib’s.

Khabib would have wanted a year off to create a interim fight for Volk to be eliminated in anyways and would never take a fight like this 4 months later.

 

[LoveMyMMA]

Khabib was generational. he’d make quick work of Islam and Alex.
even Islam constantly admits that Khabib is better.

 

[helooo]

A lot of people thought it was crazy to give him the P4P title after the Gaethje fight but that version of Khabib would've decimated Islam and Volkanovski on the same night.

maybe.. but maybe not. khabib never faced soneone like volk and his opponents soso

 

[Talon81]

Or maybe Volkanovski is just that good?

Volk is amazing but you can't look at his fights in his own weight class and honestly believe he stands out as much as Khabib did in a higher weight class. That fight showed 4 things:
1 Islam has legit striking. The fight with Oliveira was not a fluke.
2 Volk has legit wrestling
3 Volk is a damn beast and really stepped up his game
4 Islam is still Khabibs B side

 

[krelianx]

Also, people forget Khabib also had

Volk is amazing but you can't look at his fights in his own weight class and honestly believe he stands out as much as Khabib did in a higher weight class. That fight showed 4 things:
1 Islam has legit striking. The fight with Oliveira was not a fluke.
2 Volk has legit wrestling
3 Volk is a damn beast and really stepped up his game
4 Islam is still Khabibs B side

Islam is a few years younger than Khabib and has six fights less than Khabib had when he called it a day. He is still improving and building his legacy. It is premature to say Islam is Khabib's B side. He's only had one defense. He didn't have the same kind of hype before becoming champion. Nor has he had a Conor to catapult him.

When Khabib competed against Iainquinta on his way to the title, he faced adversity, and did not look as dominant or invulnerable and he would down the line. Islam's striking has continued to improve and everything point points to him becoming better and better. Volk is extremely fast and strong, and one of the best P4P fighters in the world. He gave Islam everything he could handle. He will keep improving. I think Volk has peaked.

Islam is not as consolidated as Khabib nor as far developed in his MMA career as Khabib was. Two years from now we will know what is Islam's limit.

 

[JumJum]

There's guys outside the UFC who could give Khabib a lot of trouble. Abdulvakhabov and Vartanyan aren't easy fights for Islam or Khabib. A young Chandler would be a nightmare for them, they wouldn't get him down or keep him down and they couldn't handle the speed and power....they'd have to survive/manage until he gassed out late in the 2nd or in the 3rd. Benson is a very tough fight for them, even Shabliy would be, especially now since how much he's worked on his wrestling since the Vartanyan loss (keep an eye out for Shabliy vs Usman in the bellator tournament). Even Penn after last night seemed like a horrible matchup honestly, the then Penn that beat Gomi and Hughes is a hard one too.

There's more than 3 guys lol.

IDK about the none ufc guys because i never saw them. Young less experienced Chandler would be even easier fight for both of them than the current Chandler with his low defense explosiveness and running into the pocket which is like a gift for the Dagestani clinch lovers. Benson will be pure domination, i already explained above, a guy who got outwrestled by masvidal is leagues below Khabib and Islam. Penn is the most overrated fighter of all time and would lost to Volkanovski in pure grappling match. What you don't understand it's not that Islam performance was bad, Volkanovski is just unbelievable good and talented fighter. If you turn off your nostalgia and preference of Americans fighters (and once the UFC became more international turns outAmericans aren't really that good at MMA) You will see that it's very hard to find anyone with the potential to defeat them. The reason they are so much dominating isn't luck.

 

[HuskySamoan]

IDK about the none ufc guys because i never saw them. Young less experienced Chandler would be even easier fight for both of them than the current Chandler with his low defense explosiveness and running into the pocket which is like a gift for the Dagestani clinch lovers. Benson will be pure domination, i already explained above, a guy who got outwrestled by masvidal is leagues below Khabib and Islam. Penn is the most overrated fighter of all time and would lost to Volkanovski in pure grappling match. What you don't understand it's not that Islam performance was bad, Volkanovski is just unbelievable good and talented fighter. If you turn off your nostalgia and preference of Americans fighters (and once the UFC became more international turns outAmericans aren't really that good at MMA) You will see that it's very hard to find anyone with the potential to defeat them. The reason they are so much dominating isn't luck.

Lol I am have American preference? Jesus your rhetoric is misplaced here kiddo.

 

[StonedLemur]

Did you just say Gaethje won the first round vs Khabib?

The same round that Gaethje barely survived and went back to his corner hyperventilating in complete panic, saying 'I can't get him off me' and his corner having to calm him down..?

That was Dustin saying I can't keep him off of me sir, not Gaethje.

 

[Talon81]

Also, people forget Khabib also had


Islam is a few years younger than Khabib and has six fights less than Khabib had when he called it a day. He is still improving and building his legacy. It is premature to say Islam is Khabib's B side. He's only had one defense. He didn't have the same kind of hype before becoming champion. Nor has he had a Conor to catapult him.

When Khabib competed against Iainquinta on his way to the title, he faced adversity, and did not look as dominant or invulnerable and he would down the line. Islam's striking has continued to improve and everything point points to him becoming better and better. Volk is extremely fast and strong, and one of the best P4P fighters in the world. He gave Islam everything he could handle. He will keep improving. I think Volk has peaked.

Islam is not as consolidated as Khabib nor as far developed in his MMA career as Khabib was. Two years from now we will know what is Islam's limit.

I actually agree, almost 100%. I guess when I say Islam is khabib's b-side I'm referring to current Islam. I do think he has room to improve and will do so, possibly eclipsing Khabib at some point.

That said, Volk could have been Islam's Conor. Had he made an example of him right after that amazing performance against Oliveira, we'd all be saying Islam is better than Khabib ever was