Khamzat and Yoels performances against Rob shows once again there is a big difference between MMA wrestling and wrestling

[ExitLUPin]

Application, integration is key. Yoel is one of the most talented and dominant wrestlers to ever transition to MMA and fight at top level. He got Rob a few times but overall had little success grappling him. Khamzat treated Rob like he did Jingliang and Holland. Now you can say Rob is past his best sure but we're not talking striking or a chin issue. Grappling, scrambles, defense doesnt just fall off a cliff and Rob did escape once or twice but Khamzat kept using those escapes to keep trapping Rob. With Yoel Rob could disengage much easier because Yoels wrestling didn't adapt that highly to MMA. He was still a good wrestler but not Khamzats level MMA wrestling. He was constantly controlling Robs wrists, riding him in a way Yoel wasn't capable of. Yoel was a good grappler in MMA but not elite truth be told for most of his UFC career he was much more of a striker than grappler.

 

[BodybagJohnny**]

Ehhhh ... I think what matters more is that Romero was a freestyle wrestler, which doesn't translate as well to MMA as folkstyle or Dagestani type smothering top control.

 

[moreorless87]

The real difference is Yoel never focused that much on his grappling in MMA, Khamzat has far more in setting up takedowns and is obviously a far better submission grappler.

Romero was always focused mostly on being a KO artist in MMA.

 

[RichardHarrow]

Ehhhh ... I think what matters more is that Romero was a freestyle wrestler, which doesn't translate as well to MMA as folkstyle or Dagestani type smothering top control.

Good post. Could someone elaborate on why perhaps freestyle wrestling doesn’t translate ? Wasn’t Cormier a Freestyle wrestler ?

 

[ExitLUPin]

Ehhhh ... I think what matters more is that Romero was a freestyle wrestler, which doesn't translate as well to MMA as folkstyle or Dagestani type smothering top control.

Uhh.... you know Khamzat's background is freestyle? Not every Dagestani or Chechyan background is sambo. Khamzat dominated Sweden nationals in freestyle, gold medaled every time he competed and was 24-0 even manhandled Jack Hermannson in freestyle. Granted Sweden is hardly a wrestling capital but that is Khamzats background and he was doing it long before MMA. Khamzat didn't have the Abdulmanap upbringing like Khabibs team or sambo Russian background like Ikram. He was a freestyle wrestler in Sweden THEN adapted everything to what we see now in MMA. Yoel wasn't able to do that.

 

[Rio Ferdinand]

Yoel was never really a wrestler in MMA. The guy stood and banged 95% of the time.

He didn't have the cardio to do that shit.

 

[User9992]

The real difference is Yoel never focused that much on his grappling in MMA, Khamzat has far more in setting up takedowns and is obviously a far better submission grappler.

Romero was always focused mostly on being a KO artist in MMA.

Khamzat is a freestyle wrestler. Nothing to do with folkstyle. Dagestanis are mostly freestyle wrestlers too.

 

[User9992]

Uhh.... you know Khamzat's background is freestyle? Not every Dagestani or Chechyan background is sambo. Khamzat dominated Sweden nationals in freestyle, gold medaled every time he competed and was 24-0 even manhandled Jack Hermannson in freestyle. Granted Sweden is hardly a wrestling capital but that is Khamzats background and he was doing it long before MMA. Khamzat didn't have the Abdulmanap upbringing like Khabibs team or sambo Russian background like Ikram. He was a freestyle wrestler in Sweden THEN adapted everything to what we see now in MMA. Yoel wasn't able to do that.

Yep. Khamzat is a freestyle wrestler, so are the dagestani wrestlers. Freestyle wrestling is like religion in Kavkaz region.

 

[Rio Ferdinand]

Application, integration is key. Yoel is one of the most talented and dominant wrestlers to ever transition to MMA and fight at top level. He got Rob a few times but overall had little success grappling him. Khamzat treated Rob like he did Jingliang and Holland. Now you can say Rob is past his best sure but we're not talking striking or a chin issue. Grappling, scrambles, defense doesnt just fall off a cliff and Rob did escape once or twice but Khamzat kept using those escapes to keep trapping Rob. With Yoel Rob could disengage much easier because Yoels wrestling didn't adapt that highly to MMA. He was still a good wrestler but not Khamzats level MMA wrestling. He was constantly controlling Robs wrists, riding him in a way Yoel wasn't capable of. Yoel was a good grappler in MMA but not elite truth be told for most of his UFC career he was much more of a striker than grappler.

Makes it all the more impressive when you look at the fact that Rob had TWO training camps to prepare for Khamzat's wrestling, and he still couldn't get out the first round.

 

[ExitLUPin]

Makes it all the more impressive when you look at the fact that Rob had TWO training camps to prepare for Khamzat's wrestling, and he still couldn't get out the first round.

He was extremely well prepared and I've never seen him this fired up and confident. Khamzat is just overwhelming.

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

Makes it all the more impressive when you look at the fact that Rob had TWO training camps to prepare for Khamzat's wrestling, and he still couldn't get out the first round.

yeah man, this shocked me

Broken jaw aside, he had nothing for Khamzat's grappling. it was crazy to watch

 

[BodybagJohnny**]

Good post. Could someone elaborate on why perhaps freestyle wrestling doesn’t translate ? Wasn’t Cormier a Freestyle wrestler ?

Olympic wrestling is freestyle but college wrestling is folkstyle. So Cormier is well versed in both

Folkstyle translates better to MMA because in folkstyle there's more emphasis in riding opponents and working from top position.

 

[BodybagJohnny**]

Uhh.... you know Khamzat's background is freestyle? Not every Dagestani or Chechyan background is sambo. Khamzat dominated Sweden nationals in freestyle, gold medaled every time he competed and was 24-0 even manhandled Jack Hermannson in freestyle. Granted Sweden is hardly a wrestling capital but that is Khamzats background and he was doing it long before MMA. Khamzat didn't have the Abdulmanap upbringing like Khabibs team or sambo Russian background like Ikram. He was a freestyle wrestler in Sweden THEN adapted everything to what we see now in MMA. Yoel wasn't able to do that.

Chimaez started with sambo and judo

ValidWrestlingOfficial on Instagram: "Khamzat Chimaev talking about his background in wrestling,judo,sambo in Russia and how he started training MMA in Sweden🔥 during Nelk boys podcast #fyp #wrestling #judo #sambo #grappling #mma #khamzatchimaev #б

661 likes, 1 comments - validwrestlingofficial on October 20, 2023: "Khamzat Chimaev talking about his background in wrestling,judo,sambo in Russia and how he started training MMA in Sweden🔥 during Nelk boys podcast #fyp #wrestling #judo #sambo #grappling #mma #khamzatchimaev #борьба #sport...

www.instagram.com

 

[mkt]

The real difference is Yoel never focused that much on his grappling in MMA, Khamzat has far more in setting up takedowns and is obviously a far better submission grappler.

Romero was always focused mostly on being a KO artist in MMA.

Exactly. Guys like Yoel, Hendo and Gaethje would much rather stand and bang and never really tried to implement their wrestling other than a TD here or there and some TDD.

Cormier, Couture, Jones and others had great success implementing their wrestling into MMA. So it's not just Dagestanis and Chechyans.

 

[User9992]

Olympic wrestling is freestyle but college wrestling is folkstyle. So Cormier is well versed in both

Folkstyle translates better to MMA because in folkstyle there's more emphasis in riding opponents and working from top position.

With all respect to Cormier he isn't the best wrestler in UFC history. He couldn't TD Jon Jones.

Khabib, Khabib & Islam all have been into freestyle wrestling from the childhood.

 

[BodybagJohnny**]

With all respect to Cormier he isn't the best wrestler in UFC history. He couldn't TD Jon Jones.

Khabib, Khabib & Islam all have been into freestyle wrestling from the childhood.

And sambo

 

[User9992]

Chimaez started with sambo and judo

ValidWrestlingOfficial on Instagram: "Khamzat Chimaev talking about his background in wrestling,judo,sambo in Russia and how he started training MMA in Sweden🔥 during Nelk boys podcast #fyp #wrestling #judo #sambo #grappling #mma #khamzatchimaev #б

661 likes, 1 comments - validwrestlingofficial on October 20, 2023: "Khamzat Chimaev talking about his background in wrestling,judo,sambo in Russia and how he started training MMA in Sweden🔥 during Nelk boys podcast #fyp #wrestling #judo #sambo #grappling #mma #khamzatchimaev #борьба #sport...

www.instagram.com

Kavkaz dudes are all freestyle wrestlers buddy. It's like a RELIGION there. Trust me. I live not very far from them ))

 

[BodybagJohnny**]

Kavkaz dudes are all freestyle wrestlers buddy. It's like a RELIGION there. Trust me. I live not very far from them ))

I think it's the sambo elements that make them so good in MMA.

I can't think of a pure freestyle wrestler that has been an elite MMA wrestler. Maybe there are some, but none come to mind.

 

[User9992]

And sambo

Sambo gets too much recognation. Sambo they trained was a Combat Sambo / Pankration.

Helps very little in wrestling.

 

[User9992]

I think it's the sambo elements that make them so good in MMA.

I can't think of a pure freestyle wrestler that has been an elite MMA wrestler. Maybe there are some, but none come to mind.

Combat Sambo is basically PANKRATION. Totally different sport.