What skillset is needed to beat the top-level Dagestanis in their prime?

[Senzo Tanaka]

IMO - Offensive wrestling.

Wrestlers don't like to be wrestled. Guys like Khabib love to grapple and take people down but almost without fail, they hate someone wrestling them back and taking them down. Volk got Islam down and held him there. A lot of these guys are great offensively but are lost on their back

The problem is that these guys have been wrestling their entire life so it's really hard to match their offensive abilities but if you can, wrestling is the way and ideally, having enough submission skills to get them down and work for a sub.

 

[HHJ]

If Volk was a couple inches taller, he would have beaten Islam. I know that doesn't answer your question but being supremely well rounded is the best base for mma and for beating the "daegstani" cheat code.

His size wound up helping him defend Islam takedowns.

It's awkward shooting low on a shorter guy. He was able to get the under hooks in fast and was strong enough to thwart

 

[HHJ]

I think two main things are needed to beat the Dagestanis:

#1 is exception discipline in terms of diet/fitness to cut the MAXIMUM amount of weight possible. These Dagestanis don't mess around with weight cutting. We've seen a lot of them miss weight as a result. GSP and Khabib were the same size, and yet Khabib fought at 155. It's no coincidence that Gleison Tibau almost beat Khabib -- Tibau is a weight cutting monster. I do think GSP could beat Khabib if GSP was the same age, as modern MMA weight cutting has evolved even from when GSP did it.

#2 obviously exceptional wrestling background. You need hard Greco Roman wrestling, and I would also say more MMA fighters need to train & compete in Sambo while developing their skills. Sambo mixes striking and takedowns in a way that even Greco Roman wrestling can't prepare people for. BJJ doesn't help that much beyond avoiding submissions.

I dont think Tibau would have done well against the leveled up Dagestanis, like Khabib at the time of his retirement or current Islam

It's clear they only got better as time went on and probably the best chance to beat them is BEFORE they get that good lol

 

[fedorthegoat777]

These Dagastanis push themselves every day and are dedicated to the craft. Great coaches. They are going to be tough to beat.

A lot of champs are coming out of here, which is basically Russia from my understanding.

Bring a baseball bat, you will need it.

 

[Cartiac]

If Volk was a couple inches taller, he would have beaten Islam. I know that doesn't answer your question but being supremely well rounded is the best base for mma and for beating the "daegstani" cheat code.

haha, as Islam said he is not good at head kicks because he doesn't have the flexibility to kick very high, but because Volk is so short, his body kick landed to Volk's head KO'ing him.

Volk's strategy in the first fight, paying off his corrupt government to abruptly change the rules reducing the rehydration period for that single event was the most effective strategy to date, but still not enough to win. They probably regret not approving the Ebola injection strategy when they had the chance.

It will be an incredible day in MMA history when someone is able to deliver a superior fight performance over Islam, Umar, or Usman.

 

[LeBron]

You need someone with length and girth, that’s hard headed, can get in deep on the inside and make it messy, able to give a good pounding, and always looking to finish.

 

[that Indian]

You need someone with length and girth, that’s hard headed, can get in deep on the inside and make it messy, able to give a good pounding, and always looking to finish.

On the other hand, there is a good chance that they go limp while trying to get inside the pocket.

 

[LeBron]

On the other hand, there is a good chance that they go limp while trying to get inside the pocket.

That’s why being hard headed is key, and ideally experienced.