Unlike Khabib, GSP doesn't need the cage for his takedowns and 4 other reasons he'll defeat Khabib

[Bouboumaster]

A win for GSP would mean that the best WW of all time (by far) and one time MW lineal champion was in fact a LW for all this time.
Badass, if you ask me.
GSP is the GOAT for a reason.

 

[Hirashin]

5 things that separate GSP from Khabib are:

1.) GSP doesn't need the cage for his takedowns

2.) GSP has a great jab and far better striking

3.) GSP is faster and more athletic than Khabib.

4.) Inability to take GSP down will hurt Khabib dramatically and it will be a game changer and he will fall to GSP's striking

5.) GSP's gas tank is proven to be one of the best ever and Khabib is known for slowing down in the later rounds


Khabib is a great athlete but GSP is faster and more athletic. Granted, GSP is older now and had knee surgeries I believe but he's still an incredible athlete. This will help him against the slower Khabib. Khabib also needs the cage for the majority of his takedowns. GSP shoots his doubles and singles from wherever he wants which makes him far more dangerous and harder to predict. Expect him to take Khabib down. If Khabib gets GSP down expect him to get back up pretty quickly. I just see GSP's takedowns being faster and more effective. GSP will be able to use his jab to keep Khabib at bay and his athleticism and TD defense to avoid being taken down. GSP can even use his kicks more since his fear of the takedown will be far less which is going to be the difference between GSP and Khabib's other opponents.

GSP also has a proven better gas tank while Khabib is known to slow down in the later rounds. Expect GSP to do his usual MO of strike to TD to GnP rinse and repeat to either win the UD or finish a gassed Khabib with a TKO from GnP.


Sure there's the odd chance that Khabib could win it or get that Serra type KO but expect GSP to jab Khabib to death. Since GSP said today he'd take this fight if the contract is right I expect to see it happen since there really isn't anyone else to really test Khabib and Dana and the UFC know it's a money fight.


https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/G...If-Everything-Is-Aligned-Contractually-163723

1. Habib took Conor down in the first in the center of the cage.

2. GSP got outstriked by Shields.

3. Lets see how athletic usada GSP is.

4. This is the best part, seeing them rassle and grapple.

5. Lets see how usada GSP performs.

 

[aichokyu]

5 things that separate GSP from Khabib are:

1.) GSP doesn't need the cage for his takedowns

2.) GSP has a great jab and far better striking

3.) GSP is faster and more athletic than Khabib.

4.) Inability to take GSP down will hurt Khabib dramatically and it will be a game changer and he will fall to GSP's striking

5.) GSP's gas tank is proven to be one of the best ever and Khabib is known for slowing down in the later rounds


Khabib is a great athlete but GSP is faster and more athletic. Granted, GSP is older now and had knee surgeries I believe but he's still an incredible athlete. This will help him against the slower Khabib. Khabib also needs the cage for the majority of his takedowns. GSP shoots his doubles and singles from wherever he wants which makes him far more dangerous and harder to predict. Expect him to take Khabib down. If Khabib gets GSP down expect him to get back up pretty quickly. I just see GSP's takedowns being faster and more effective. GSP will be able to use his jab to keep Khabib at bay and his athleticism and TD defense to avoid being taken down. GSP can even use his kicks more since his fear of the takedown will be far less which is going to be the difference between GSP and Khabib's other opponents.

GSP also has a proven better gas tank while Khabib is known to slow down in the later rounds. Expect GSP to do his usual MO of strike to TD to GnP rinse and repeat to either win the UD or finish a gassed Khabib with a TKO from GnP.


Sure there's the odd chance that Khabib could win it or get that Serra type KO but expect GSP to jab Khabib to death. Since GSP said today he'd take this fight if the contract is right I expect to see it happen since there really isn't anyone else to really test Khabib and Dana and the UFC know it's a money fight.


https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/G...If-Everything-Is-Aligned-Contractually-163723

your first three points are correct but you forgot to mention that once he gets the takedown, khabib is much more efficient than GSP, who can't finish his oponents after he's taken them down most of the time, ref his looooong decision streaks where he took his oponents down multiple times but couldn't finish, hardy fight for example.

khabib on the other hand, has the ability to finish when grappling.

 

[Combat Wombatt]

your first three points are correct but you forgot to mention that once he gets the takedown, khabib is much more efficient than GSP, who can't finish his oponents after he's taken them down most of the time, ref his looooong decision streaks where he took his oponents down multiple times but couldn't finish, hardy fight for example.

khabib on the other hand, has the ability to finish when grappling.

Sure that's true but like the OP said, GSP has a strike to TD to GnP rinse and repeat style like early Cain did. He wasn't normally finished guys with his first few takedowns.

After a few takedowns and GnP Khabib will be getting very tired.

 

[Combat Wombatt]

This
Khabib has awesome striking. Fact.

Was way better then Conor's come test day.

More effective for sure.

GSP has great striking and a great jab, didn't realize he had a 8" reach advantage over Khabib.....that's huge.


GSP could just defeat Khabab by jabfest if he wants.

We all know the best way to stop the TD is to keep the opponent too busy with strikes wherein you can stifle the TD attempt....repeated, accurate jabs to the face can do that.

 

[Tyr XIII]

I consider GSP the greatest fighter of all time not named Fedor

With that said, Khabib wins. GSP cutting to 155 and fighting a mini mountain just isnt a good idea

 

[Combat Wombatt]

I consider GSP the greatest fighter of all time not named Fedor

With that said, Khabib wins. GSP cutting to 155 and fighting a mini mountain just isnt a good idea

Would love to see it.

 

[fractal]

for whatever reason, khabib striking always gets shit on despite being one of the best defensive fighter and one of the fastest strikers in the lightweight division.

1: khabib is a lot faster than GSP on the feet. faster jabs, faster boxing, faster kicks, faster footwork speed.

2: Khabib is also a lot better defensively than gsp., in fact, he has one of the best striking defense in the ufc. he rarely gets hit clean in his whole career.

Those two example are terrible. Dustin winging punches without any feints, clipping him on the first one at the end too. Al throwing a straight from two feet away. Khabib isn't bad defensively but these don't highlight anything.

GSP also didn't look very impressive against Bisping, and understandably so. Doubt he makes LW comfortably, but if he can get his jabs close to what it used to be, he will catch Khabib with it all night, just like he did to Koscheck.

 

[Combat Wombatt]

Those two example are terrible. Dustin winging punches without any feints, clipping him on the first one at the end too. Al throwing a straight from two feet away. Khabib isn't bad defensively but these don't highlight anything.

GSP also didn't look very impressive against Bisping, and understandably so. Doubt he makes LW comfortably, but if he can get his jabs close to what it used to be, he will catch Khabib with it all night, just like he did to Koscheck.

Sometimes people fight stupidly and then people use those as examples.


Big Nog going for the submission when he had Mir KO'd, Whittaker winging punches at Izzy......crazy.


If GSP can get his jab working on Khabib, Khabib is in for a long night.

 

[Trained4years]

More effective for sure.

GSP has great striking and a great jab, didn't realize he had a 8" reach advantage over Khabib.....that's huge.


GSP could just defeat Khabab by jabfest if he wants.

We all know the best way to stop the TD is to keep the opponent too busy with strikes wherein you can stifle the TD attempt....repeated, accurate jabs to the face can do that.

Khabib may do the same, reach is huge but reflexes for 25 against a feral like Khabib is a huge task ( it's definitely going for the 5 I reckon )

Thing with the jab is its very VERY difficult to use effectively against your favorite sparring partner let alone someone who is absolutely not Josh koscheck from 10 years ago, they usually figure you out when the same things coming over and over. It's the first punch everybody learns on day one, alongside the Steven Seagal dragon Kick.

If you get past your opponents jab it's all you for a few in terms of setting up an attack, it's still a very basic technique that requires years of experience to master on game day against the elite, which is why
it's not seen as often as we like.

GSP imo pioneered it in the Kos fight for MMA especially for the lighter divisions it was BRUTAL

Good god It could be 5 rounds of perfect jabs.....

 

[Claude]

Wanting to test oneself against the best is not cherry picking.

It is when he's going for a smaller champion.

Wanna prove yourself? Fight the champion in your weight class or above.

 

[Claude]

GSP is no bigger. He probably weighs the same and is the same height. He was just more of a man, fighting at more of a natural weight class.

GSP 50-45 even now.

He's naturally bigger. He's just starving to fight a smaller guy.

 

[DagOban**]

It is when he's going for a smaller champion.

Wanna prove yourself? Fight the champion in your weight class or above.

He already did that. Going up the next weightclass after that would be too much.

The next obvious choice is 1 weightclass lower.

 

[Combat Wombatt]

He already did that. Going up the next weightclass after that would be too much.

The next obvious choice is 1 weightclass lower.

Yep.

 

[giusti825]

for whatever reason, khabib striking always gets shit on despite being one of the best defensive fighter and one of the fastest strikers in the lightweight division.

1: khabib is a lot faster than GSP on the feet. faster jabs, faster boxing, faster kicks, faster footwork speed.

2: Khabib is also a lot better defensively than gsp., in fact, he has one of the best striking defense in the ufc. he rarely gets hit clean in his whole career.

He understands fundamentals, but looks so choppy and unsmoothe....

 

[mmaknight]

 

[dragonsfly]

This fight is one hell'va intriguing fight. It's honestly hard for me to sit here and tell you flat out whos gonna win if anyone had a gun on my head.

I could see this fight going both ways I see some people disclaiming GSP's ways to win but they are forgetting other x-factors. GSP definitely has a shot at winning this fight. He comes always prepared and on time while his commitment can't be questioned. It's gonna be a battle of witts imho and about skills they will block each other in some departments. Both can keep the fight standing if need be.

It will come down to who can make the better decisions inside the octagon if X or Y options dosen't work. Which will make this fight a battle of witts

 

[Combat Wombatt]

This fight is one hell'va intriguing fight. It's honestly hard for me to sit here and tell you flat out whos gonna win if anyone had a gun on my head.

I could see this fight going both ways I see some people disclaiming GSP's ways to win but they are forgetting other x-factors. GSP definitely has a shot at winning this fight. He comes always prepared and on time while his commitment can't be questioned. It's gonna be a battle of witts imho and about skills they will block each other in some departments. Both can keep the fight standing if need be.

It will come down to who can make the better decisions inside the octagon if X or Y options dosen't work. Which will make this fight a battle of witts

True. Would be so pumped for this fight.

Hell, they could even do a catch weight so Khabib doesn't need to risk the belt.

 

[McDego]

I think GSP said he put on too much weight and if showed in him being slower, less mobile, and less athletic and he fought a bigger guy than his natural weight class in Bisping.

Cutting weight should hopefully make him faster, more athletic, and have better cardio.

He typically walked between 190-197 in his prime.

I doubt that a few extra pounds was a bigger factor than ring rust and age, but I'm sure it played a part.

 

[Claude]

He already did that. Going up the next weightclass after that would be too much.

The next obvious choice is 1 weightclass lower.

He fought the weakest MW champion in recent history though. Doesn't prove much fight-wise. Beating Adesanya would.