Once Maia retires...

Askren is next up. No stand up what so ever but seemingly unbeatable grappling in a MMA context.
 
fortheo said:
Which fighter will be the next closest thing to a specialist in MMA? and do you think he'll reach a high level like Maia did?
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Ryan hall
To an extent Brian ortega
Carlos Diego Ferreira
Aldo’s BJJ coach
 
Maia isn't one dimensional. He has really worked on his wrestling and especially his boxing during his decade plus with the UFC. It is a bit hard to progress further since he started these changes in his 30s.
I think the most one dimensional/specialist guy is probably Askren. Even someone like Hall has a serviceable odd striking game that serves to frustrate his opponent and allows Hall to implement his game. On a side note, someone I always found lacking in "technique" and one dimensional is Hands of Stone. He is smaller than everyone in his division, he doesn't seem to know how to grapple well but he finds a way to win due to overwhelming power. Even his striking isn't that clean looking.
 
Area809 said:
Khabib?
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Khabib is pretty much the most well rounded grappler in the sport. He combines Judo/Sambo and wrestling into a single package labeled "MMA grappling". Wouldn't really call him a specialist if we define the said specialist being a master of only 1 discipline.

Also, people saying Askren are not really correct either. They're forgetting that Askren has very good BJJ and is a competition proven submission grappler, not just a wrestler. Askren is very similar to Khabib actually, they're both very well rounded grapplers.

Still gave people mentioning Askren likes though, because he deserves more recognition of any flavor :D.
 
Ortega's tough as nails, with elite BJJ! I'm gonna miss Maia bad. When I think of the nicest people in the world, I think Demian Maia sure is a classy dude! I've always said persisting with BJJ until you're a real specialist takes an incredible amount of patience. Which is literally why the Demian Maia's of the sport are the nicest people ever!

I saw some special qualities in Pedro Munhoz, here

about 10:50 in... He's a classy dude! (Not to mention this is the greatest press conference ever). And kinda like a Maia of modern day is what I saw in this... It made me a fan for life.
 
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superpunch said:
Lots of guys.

Khabib a submission wrestler.

Conor a boxer.

Adesanya a kickboxer.

Colby the wrestler.

Ngannou the athlete.

You just won’t have any BJJ specialists at the top levels because BJJ sucks.
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hmm idk i think thats just kind of what they are known, it's their primary strength but my opinion is that they arent one dimensional

Khabib's striking isnt bad. It's not bad enough to be considered one dimensional

Conor is a brown belt in BJJ and does have a solid ground game, its just obviously not the best

Adesanya has shown great wrestling and a ground game so far against the very elite of the MW division, he nearly stuffed all of
Gastelumn's takedowns and had him in a guillotine and a triangle (even though he injured his ankle

ummmm 9 of Cody's 11 wins have been by KO or TKO so....
 
Probably Askren

He literally just relies on his wrestling and nothing else. His style of wrestling involves rides and controlling his opponent on the ground so it's not just the takedown aspect. Plus he's already ranked 5 right now
 
I don't know, maybe the Gracie guy who got outgrappled by Rory for 5 rounds
 
There are plenty of guys in the UFC that are good at one thing. Problem is that you don't win belt anymore only being good at one thing. Maia was exceptional at his one thing. But as soon as he fought people who neutralized that he had zero answer. Usman, Rory, Shields, Weidman.

In conclusion there shouldn't be another fighter as specialized at this point. But if there was I would sure as hell be cheering for them.
 
TapMachine said:
Khabib is pretty much the most well rounded grappler in the sport. He combines Judo/Sambo and wrestling into a single package labeled "MMA grappling". Wouldn't really call him a specialist if we define the said specialist being a master of only 1 discipline.

Also, people saying Askren are not really correct either. They're forgetting that Askren has very good BJJ and is a competition proven submission grappler, not just a wrestler. Askren is very similar to Khabib actually, they're both very well rounded grapplers.

Still gave people mentioning Askren likes though, because he deserves more recognition of any flavor :D.
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So Maia doesnt incorporate wrestling into his grappling? You’re not making sense.

 
Area809 said:
So Maia doesnt incorporate wrestling into his grappling? You’re not making sense.

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No offense to Maia, but he's nowhere near as well-rounded as Askren or Khabib. He has improved his wrestling greatly over the years and deserves commendation for that, but he still can't wrestle with the elite. In practical terms against top competition, he's still a 1 discipline (BJJ) guy.
 
TapMachine said:
No offense to Maia, but he's nowhere near as well-rounded as Askren or Khabib. He has improved his wrestling greatly over the years and deserves commendation for that, but he still can't wrestle with the elite. In practical terms against top competition, he's still a 1 discipline (BJJ) guy.
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Honestly, I don’t know what you even mean. One thing is Maia not being as good a wrestler as someone like Woodly, another thing is to say he’s still a one discipline guy, when clearly he uses wrestling to get the fight to the mat to then employ his bjj. Your logic doesn’t make sense.
 
Rodolfo Vieira who just signed with the UFC will take Maia's place as the best BJJ specialist in MMA.
 
Can't forget t city. His standup is ok, but not what people claimed after he koed Frankie. He is a mostly pure bjj guy. Askren is like him with worse bjj but far better takedowns and positional control, and they are both pretty non athletic but have gorrila grip strength. Kron is possible, but not sure yet. The guys at the top are not just a 1 type specialist. Maia even had to learn some standup because he had 0 wrestling to take people down with. Werdume was the same way at first but learned way faster and way better than Maia. Ben can do without real good standup because he is so good on the ground at keeping people down. Much like khabib, but khabib is stronger, better standup, better stand up defense, better control, and better subs. U would even give khabib the edge in all around wrestling. Ben is the closest thing I see to a 1 dimensional style. He has been the same forever and never improved his standup over the years because he knew the fight wouldn't be a standup fight.
 
Area809 said:
Honestly, I don’t know what you even mean. One thing is Maia not being as good a wrestler as someone like Woodly, another thing is to say he’s still a one discipline guy, when clearly he uses wrestling to get the fight to the mat to then employ his bjj. Your logic doesn’t make sense.
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I've already said: "In practical terms against top competition, he's still a 1 discipline (BJJ) guy."

First of all, everyone trains wrestling in the UFC, but that doesn't make everyone a (good) wrestler. Maia is fighting at the highest level of competition, where he has to contend against guys like Woodley, Colby, Usman and Askren. At this level of competition, Maia's wrestling is not good enough to compete. He is indeed a one discipline specialist at the highest level of competition in his division. Compare him to actually well-rounded grapplers like Khabib and Askren, who are both highly proficient in wrestling and sufficiently proficient in Judo/Sambo/BJJ to compete at the top of their division and you will see the difference between a specialist (Maia) and a more well-rounded fighter.
 
TapMachine said:
I've already said: "In practical terms against top competition, he's still a 1 discipline (BJJ) guy."

First of all, everyone trains wrestling in the UFC, but that doesn't make everyone a (good) wrestler. Maia is fighting at the highest level of competition, where he has to contend against guys like Woodley, Colby, Usman and Askren. At this level of competition, Maia's wrestling is not good enough to compete. He is indeed a one discipline specialist at the highest level of competition in his division. Compare him to actually well-rounded grapplers like Khabib and Askren, who are both highly proficient in wrestling and sufficiently proficient in Judo/Sambo/BJJ to compete at the top of their division and you will see the difference between a specialist (Maia) and a more well-rounded fighter.
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Again, you make no sense. What top grapplers have Khabib or Askren submitted? Their bjj looks great against non elite grapplers. See how that works and how your logic is flawed?
 
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