Media RDR's thoughts on DDP vs. Khamzat after having trained with both.

[PlayTheGame]

Khamzat takes him out.

I have no idea why some people still don't get that he's one of the greatest talents in MMA history.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

RDR would stop Khamzat

 

[Superzorro]

He couldn’t even out grapple burns and he’s a welterweight

This is an insane statement.

 

[AmonTobin]

I wouldn’t have expected him to favour Dricus on the ground. Weird.

 

[TITS]

Khamzat will not be pleased to hear this. The Riddler will be punished next time he shows up at the gym.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

DDP is gonna gain a lot of people's respect with this next one

Crazy to me people are still doubting him.. he's one of the most badass guys in the sport

I get Khamzat is the bogeyman of the divsion, but people act like he is going to walk through DDP which is nuts

RDR knows whats up

Yeah I agree with most of what RDR said. Dricus is "clumsy and awkward" apparently, maybe that's why he gets hate. I couldn't give a fuck, look at who he's beat? Plus he's great on the mic and seems like a good bloke.

 

[Deleted member 517683]

Some of the comments about Khamzat are truly crazy. "Generational" is one of the best.

What has he really shown in the last few years? The fact that he broke Whitaker's jaw with a choke isn't an indicator for me. It certainly takes strength, but a lot of it was probably also a lot of luck. Sometimes it just takes the right angle without much force. Or Whitaker helped when he tried to escape. Or both.

Otherwise, I can only remember two WWs against whom he had a lot of luck and one shitty gas tank. One a wrestler, the other a BJJ guy. Not particularly impressive despite his bigger size. If he had clearly defeated both with his "generational" grappling, then maybe. With Usman, there's still the fact that he came from the couch. And he still gave Khamzat a fight he could have won.

I'm much more impressed by what DDP has done in the last 2-3 years.

 

[B0l0joe]

He couldn’t even out grapple burns and he’s a welterweight

You really think Khamzat not being able to pass the guard and submit Gilbert is some sort of surprise? You should look at Gilbert’s grappling credentials. That’s definitely what saved him in that fight.

 

[Mike]

Honestly I favor DDP in this fiight. Khamzat probably has two rounds max to find a finish, on a big strong guy with good grappling and cardio. I just think it's unlikely. Khamzat has ONE first round sub against a good opponent, the Whitaker fight. And Whitaker having a weird pre existing condition that made him extra vulnerable to face cranks takes away from that win for me. Lets see him do that to an elite fighter that doesn't have an existing vulnerability. From what I've seen Khamzat struggles to get elite fighters out of there early and often gasses late. That seems dangerous against a fighter with proven cardio that is also proven to get better as he fight goes on.

 

[Mike]

You really think Khamzat not being able to pass the guard and submit Gilbert is some sort of surprise? You should look at Gilbert’s grappling credentials. That’s definitely what saved him in that fight.

True but DDP is an above average grappler himself and way bigger and stronger than Burns. Khamzat has had a big size advantage in most of his fights.

 

[mkess101]

He couldn’t even out grapple burns and he’s a welterweight

He chose to stand and bang. That's a lot different than "couldn't outgrapple" him. By all means believe he isn't a special grappler. Doesn't really matter to me if you understand what you're seeing or not. In fact, the more people who don't, the better. Gets me better odds for betting.

 

[mkess101]

Khamzat is the better wrestler by a mile. Submission grappling though I'd favor RDR.

If they went head to head in a submission grappling match, Khamzat would smoke RDR. When we talk about grappling, I'm talking about their holistic grappling game. Khamzat is every bit the scrambler and submission threat that RDR is, but with a huge physicality and wrestling advantage.

 

[TITS]

Yeah I agree with most of what RDR said. Dricus is "clumsy and awkward" apparently, maybe that's why he gets hate. I couldn't give a fuck, look at who he's beat? Plus he's great on the mic and seems like a good bloke.

He's hilarious. I expect MASSIVE amounts of jimmy rustling at the press conference.

 

[mkess101]

maybe it's you not admitting that DDP is a beast everywhere and there's more to MMA than wrestling. you literally have a guy who TRAINED WITH BOTH telling you he thinks DDP can hang with Khamzat and you're over here from your couch "wElL aCkChUaLLy"

generational grappler could barely hold on to short notice Usman and little Giblert. Khamzat is good, but you're acting like he has the equivalent of the touch of death in striking for grappling, and it's already proven untrue.

Yes from my couch. I mean, unlike most of this site I fought, coached, and cornered guys for 6 years but yeah please believe that every fighter that's trained with two opponents both A) are totally truthful in their assessment and B) are always correct even when they are being honest.

Again, it really makes no difference to me what you believe. In fact, like I said since I bet MMA it's great when there's a lot of people that see it differently than I do. Gets me better odds.

Also sport, don't put words in my mouth. Khamzat is a generational grappler but when did I say that's the only aspect of MMA or that DDP had no chance? I'm giving my assessment and you're reply is "Durrrr...why you sayin' dood has da kiss of death as a grappler when dose two guys he beat lasted the whole time yo??" One is a world champion grappler that Khamzat chose to stand with, the other is a grappler that's one of the top 2 all time at WW that got ragdolled and hung on for dear life until Khamzat gassed. And guess what? If Khamzat gasses vs DDP before finishing him, EVERYONE knows he's in trouble. I'm betting that doesn't happen. If you think otherwise, by all means bet DDP.

 

[fortheo]

If they went head to head in a submission grappling match, Khamzat would smoke RDR. When we talk about grappling, I'm talking about their holistic grappling game. Khamzat is every bit the scrambler and submission threat that RDR is, but with a huge physicality and wrestling advantage.

I disagree with that first sentence, but we'll likely never know as khamzat doesn't really seem to entertain such matches. I do like Khamzat's overall grappling game better for MMA, though.

 

[mkess101]

I disagree with that first sentence, but we'll likely never know. I do like Khamzat's overall grappling game better for MMA, though.

Yeah we can disagree. I'm not trying to shit on RDR at all either. He's very good. And maybe "smoke" is too strong a way to put it. Khamzat wouldn't roll into a grappling match and quickly sub RDR I don't think. Without the threat of gnp, I'd say good chance it's Khamzat just controlling RDR. But RDR was swept by Meerschaert before Gerald gassed for example...and Gerald is a solid grappler (from my area) but not elite.

But yes Khamzat's ability to throw meaningful gnp obviously adds a lot to his MMA grappling game.

 

[Conan the K-9]

Yeah, it’s getting crazy here.
Scamzat didn’t want to take a submission grappling match against Hermansson, he wanted rules that favor him.

Against Burns, he himself said in the post fight presser, that he didn’t want any of the superior ground game of Gilbert and had to stand with him. But of course the narrative on sherdog today is that he chose to stand and bang.

Next we will probably hear about the sparring round with Rockhold, but that’s also already been explained differently in reality.

Ratlip should go and compete in the UFC BJJ, maybe then these glazers will shut up about his once in a decade level talent in grappling…

 

[xhaydenx]

Pretty interesting considering RDR himself is an absolute elite grappler in this division and still thinks Dricus can hang with Khamzat early.

if WW Burns could hang with and survive Chimaev early, DDP sure as shit will be able to as well.

This is going to be an ass whooping. DDP is sending Chimaev home in a box.

 

[mkess101]

Some of the comments about Khamzat are truly crazy. "Generational" is one of the best.

What has he really shown in the last few years? The fact that he broke Whitaker's jaw with a choke isn't an indicator for me. It certainly takes strength, but a lot of it was probably also a lot of luck. Sometimes it just takes the right angle without much force. Or Whitaker helped when he tried to escape. Or both.

Otherwise, I can only remember two WWs against whom he had a lot of luck and one shitty gas tank. One a wrestler, the other a BJJ guy. Not particularly impressive despite his bigger size. If he had clearly defeated both with his "generational" grappling, then maybe. With Usman, there's still the fact that he came from the couch. And he still gave Khamzat a fight he could have won.

I'm much more impressed by what DDP has done in the last 2-3 years.

Because I've seen grapplers and lived in that world for 2 and a half decades and I understand what I'm watching. He absolutely ragdolled Usman until he gassed. Chose to stand with Burns.

Yes, the gas tank could be a concern. Nowhere did I say that there's no chance he tires vs DDP and fades as the fight goes on. But his grappling talent is absolutely generational. It makes zero difference if you think it's "crazy".

 

[mkess101]

if WW Burns could hang with and survive Chimaev early, DDP sure as shit will be able to as well.

This is going to be an ass whooping. DDP is sending Chimaev home in a box.

Khamzat cutting to 170 was the dumbest shit ever. People gonna hang there hat on that fight...okay.