Who is the best sleeper grappler in the UFC?

I might have misunderstood the thread. So are we talking about guys who, on paper, shouldn't have elite grappling yet they do?
 
fortheo said:
I might have misunderstood the thread. So are we talking about guys who, on paper, shouldn't have elite grappling yet they do?
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Just guys who float under the radar with their grappling talents.
 
Martialbeef said:
Just guys who float under the radar with their grappling talents.
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Prime condit was a nightmare for anyone on the mat, despite shitty takedown defense. He was like a tony Ferguson prototype. I don't think his guard game ever got the credit it deserved. Unfortunately he's a shell of himself now.
 
Charles Oliveira grabs anything there is and that’s that.

I vote for him!
 
"Cowboy" Cerrone- 17 (47%) of his 36 wins were by submission, and he has only lost by submission once. Yet he's primarily referred to as a striker.

He's finished 10 (28%) with strikes, an overall finish rate of 75%.

What makes him a sleeper is that, despite his resume, his grappling is largely just under appreciated and often overlooked.
 
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fortheo said:
Prime condit was a nightmare for anyone on the mat, despite shitty takedown defense. He was like a tony Ferguson prototype. I don't think his guard game ever got the credit it deserved. Unfortunately he's a shell of himself now.
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Yes! Great pick
 
How about the Reem? K1 champ, everyone thinks of him as a kickboxer, his highlight reel is full of KOs.
But over 64 MMA matches he has only ever been subbed once, by prime Werdoom, and that was back when doom used to actually try and subfight.

He also has 17 sub wins.
 
Aldo is famous of course but he was a talented grappler before MMA, tdd aside you never see him bring it out in the cage though.
 
fortheo said:
Prime condit was a nightmare for anyone on the mat, despite shitty takedown defense. He was like a tony Ferguson prototype. I don't think his guard game ever got the credit it deserved. Unfortunately he's a shell of himself now.
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Seeing Chiesa rip Condit's arm apart really wasn't fun to watch. I'm a big NBK fan. To see him subbed so easily showed us all that he really doesn't have much to offer any more.
 
fortheo said:
Prime condit was a nightmare for anyone on the mat, despite shitty takedown defense.
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Which reminds me that Kampmann was underrated on the ground. Evenly matched with Condit on the mat, got out of Shields' mount a couple of times and had one of the weirdest subs over Alves when he was losing on the feet until Thiago decided to dive into Kampmanns guillotine.
 
Murder_KickHC said:
Dillon Danis who is outstanding grapler said that Conor is one of the best guys he´s grapled with but it just like Chael says that we never see him having to rely on it because he KTFO everyone he touches with that left hand. Its one of those punches that the fighters he faces look shocked at the power like they cant belieave it.
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You mean Conors coach hyped him up? You don't say.

Did you see Conor vs Khabib? Did you see him vs those Polish uber drivers in Cage warriors? Seen him in a couple of matches against nobodies on youtube...
 
francis even though he got out grappled by stipe he is legit threat to anyone with subs
 
Final Say said:
Stipe has never spent more than a few seconds on his back except against cormier and he’s gotten up every time he’s ever been taken down. Dominates positionally and has never lost the grappling aspect of a fight against any fighter
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I’m pretty sure I stole this from Bas Rutten on Rogans podcast but in addition to everything you said, his submission defense is elite leve. Reem has a nasty guillotine sunk in and Stipe shook that off in a hot minute. D1 nationally ranked wrestler. He’s become a little less of a sleeper after the Ngannou clinic, GNP on Reem, and stuffing DC’s 2 or 3 takedowns after the 1st takedown previously stated. It says something that DC’s plan was to wrestle Stipe but gave up on it even though it was his best path to victory with his corner screaming to wrestle. His hands get most of the attention so yeah his grappling does get slept on.
 
Rear Naked Toke said:
"Cowboy" Cerrone- 17 (47%) of his 36 wins were by submission, and he has only lost by submission once. Yet he's primarily referred to as a striker.

He's finished 10 (28%) with strikes, an overall finish rate of 75%.

What makes him a sleeper is that, despite his resume, his grappling is largely just under appreciated and often overlooked.
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most of his submissions are after he already has his opponent hurt but I agree his grappling is very underrated. He just doesn't use it as much as he should.
 
Got blasted in his last fight by Brunson but people forgetting Hermansson had no fear of taking Jacare down. And proceeded to get the better of it on the mat.

That alone gets my vote.
 
campbecc said:
most of his submissions are after he already has his opponent hurt but I agree his grappling is very underrated. He just doesn't use it as much as he should.
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Very true. I'm hoping to see him bring a grapple heavy game plan against Conor. This is a very winnable fight for him, for a few reasons, and by far his biggest fight of his career.

He does tend to freeze up in big fights, but a loss in this fight isn't the same as a loss in all the other big fights. I'm thinking he won't feel quite as much pressure that the other big fights brought on.

With that said, I'd really just like to see him land a head kick knockout and retire from fighting. Even if he loses, retire.
 
Charles "Do Bronx" Oliviera isn't really known as a submission guy.
 
Ryan hall. Dude looks weak and he is slick
 
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