Khamzat's cardio issues are blown way out of proportion

[Sean Chowdhury]

Not trying to write an essay here but I see people acting like khamzat is done past round 1 and that he's going to gas and lose if DDP/Whittaker or pretty much any fighter makes it past round 1. I don't understand this narrative since people are basing it off of 2 fights while ignoring the context surrounding it.

The first fight where he showed "cardio issues" is the burns fight where he had a big weight cut during Ramadan and literally outpaced Burns in round 3, pressuring him the whole time and nearly finishing him against the cage. Khamzat basically sprinted for 3 rounds after a big weight and showed the better cardio out of the 2.

During the Usman fight, Khamzat broke ligaments in his hand when Usman slammed him, if you watch round 2 and 3, he doesn't even look like he's struggling to move around or breathe. It's moreso him awkwardly shuffling as a result of his hand which limits him from striking and getting a good grip for a takedown. Khamzat also said in media day that he was sick during the Usman training camp.

Caio Borrahlo even said Khamzat has the best cardio he has ever seen when he trained with him and I don't see why he would make that up. Khamzat is now training at elevation with an olympic conditioning coach, the cardio issue isn't a threat imo.

 

[don't ask]

I'm not sure what to think of his cardio because his fight career has been so fucked up, but

Caio Borrahlo even said Khamzat has the best cardio he has ever seen when he trained with him and I don't see why he would make that up.

you literally sound like you've never heard someone praise their sparring partners before. It's rarely a reliable assessment.

 

[mjfan23]

The cardio issue was something his haters have been hanging on to for a while. They just haven’t seen a guy operate at that pace ever and kept saying he will fade after 1 round. He’s never really faded or ever lost leaving his haters looking stupid many times

 

[Luthien]

Caio Borrahlo even said Khamzat has the best cardio he has ever seen

And Ronda's team swore she could outbox Floyd Mayweather XD

 

[TheBulge]

Lets say he does have good cardio. It's still gonna be bad cardio with his adrenaline dumps and crazy pace.

 

[mjfan23]

And Ronda's team swore she could outbox Floyd Mayweather XD

She could also beat Cain Velasquez as per Dana and Joe

 

[Sean Chowdhury]

And Ronda's team swore she could outbox Floyd Mayweather XD

She probably could, she dropped olympic boxers with bodyshots

 

[GraafschapDTCNL]

He had good enough cardio to win all his fights decively. And I know that you have people that try to argue that he lost a fight or two, but those people just do not understand MMA scoring

 

[Portland8242]

Khamzat's is a high fast twitch muscle athlete who's super strong, fast and explosive. These types of athletes rarely have world class cardio alongside it unless they're using PED's.

 

[188912345]

I'm not sure what to think of his cardio because his fight career has been so fucked up, but



you literally sound like you've never heard someone praise their sparring partners before. It's rarely a reliable assessment.

It's oddly specific for some generic praise. Jiri also praised his cardio, and they don't even seem to like each other.

 

[RichardHarrow]

Well when has it mattered ? Dudes never lost. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it , if in fact he loses as a result of bad cardio.

And o yea - he’s blitzing DDP.

 

[Croaker]

Khamzat's is a high fast twitch muscle athlete who's super strong, fast and explosive. These types of athletes rarely have world class cardio alongside it unless they're using PED's.

That is an incredibly uninformed take. Not only is fast twitch muscle overrated, it has absolutely nothing to do with the cardiovascular system. Fast and slow twitch muscles are within everyone.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

I'm not sure what to think of his cardio because his fight career has been so fucked up, but



you literally sound like you've never heard someone praise their sparring partners before. It's rarely a reliable assessment.

I mean, basically this. The only positives about Khamzats cardio is jibberjabber from training partners about how he goes ten million rounds in the gym.
In his actual fight career, every time we've seen him get to the third round, he noticeably slows. However, he fights so rarely now that we have no idea where he's actually at.
Until we see Khamzat go a hard 5, it's going to be a question mark regardless of what training partners praise him on. Recall that Ronda Rousey was knocking out male boxers in her gym.

 

[188912345]

At this point, it's mostly a cope, a "what if", a soothing and hopeful thought after their favorite fighters gets finished in round 1 or 2.

He threw 94 strikes in round 3 vs Burns. That's a higher output than Dricus had in any round vs Strickland and Adesanya. Took down and controlled Usman in round 3, sick, with an injured hand ligament.

If his cardio was "bad", he wouldn't be a big favorite against both Dricus and Strickland.

It's kind of like people concede that he will finish or 10-8 round 1, then overestimate how helpless and ripe for the finish he is in the later rounds if they "weather the storm".

 

[Dorkman]

And Ronda's team swore she could outbox Floyd Mayweather XD

And can beat Cain under the right conditions

 

[Goat Poster]

Caio Borrahlo even said Khamzat has the best cardio he has ever seen when he trained with him and I don't see why he would make that up. Khamzat is now training at elevation with an olympic conditioning coach, the cardio issue isn't a threat imo.

Seems not super relevant. I am sure Michel Pereira can go 3 hard rounds in the gym, but somehow ended up gassing inside 1 round.

You need to factor in the weight cut and guys panicking while warming up/fighting...

 

[HHJ]

And can beat Cain under the right conditions

She could have.

 

[filthybliss]

If he can finish people within 3 rounds, it doesn’t matter. DDP will be a good test since that man can grapple really well too and he isn’t undersized like Usman.

 

[HHJ]

She could also beat Cain Velasquez as per Dana and Joe

She could have.

 

[188912345]

Seems not super relevant. I am sure Michel Pereira can go 3 hard rounds in the gym, but somehow ended up gassing inside 1 round.

You need to factor in the weight cut and guys panicking while warming up/fighting...

To even compare him to Michel Pereira proves OPs point.