Who's the smartest fighter to ever fought in the UFC?

Who has the smartest fight IQ? I want to say Jon, but something prevents me from saying him. Even though he's never lost outside of the DQ, . I would say Jon is the most creative fighter ever. GSP? Khabib? Mighty Mouse? Mighty Mouse looks like he's sparring in the ring. Whenever I saw one of his fights, even against cejudo. Dude look like he was sparring at LA fitness or something. Took the instructions from his corner and just downloaded it into his system.

Maybe it's too hard to pin down to one person.

Jones does his homework but also seems to fight his opponents strengths instead of weaknesses ie kickboxes Gus, wrestles DC, strikes Reyes, etc

It’s impressive af he’s able to beat them all but can’t help thinking there’s a smarter way
 
Prime Lawler had some of the best fight IQ and shot selection I've seen
 
Jones IMO has the best IQ. He rarely makes a mistake in the cage. No wasted movement or attacks. Say what you will about his actions outside of the cage. He uses his physical gifts better than anyone.

I’d place GSP right up there with him.
 
Khabib 100%. He revolutionized fighting and beat men a way they haven’t ever been beaten before
 
Phil Davis

In his 12-fight run during the hey day of the UFC's 205-lb division, he was never finished or even knocked down. He was the only LHW to ever take Rumble Johnson to a decision. He went 9-3 in the UFC, including dropping a split decision to Ryan Bader that a majority of the MMA media thought he won, and was consistently ranked in the Top 5.

Then he had the foresight to sign with Bellator when he was still a highly ranked LHW in the UFC. He was paid more to do so, and Bellator's LHW division has since surpassed the UFC's in terms of Top 10 talent.

Davis hasn't been finished during his 11-fight run in Bellator. Like his UFC run, I can't recall him ever being knocked down in Bellator either. He has gone 9-2 in Bellator, but both of the losses are split decisions that a majority of the MMA media again thought he won. Both were against fellow Top 5 opponents: Nemkov and Bader.

He's 36 years old and approaching 25 fights in major promotions, for which he's been paid handsomely without ever being knocked down or subjecting himself to a high risk of CTE, because he is extremely talented at controlling where the fight goes. In all but 2 of those fights, he has managed to convince at least one judge (and the majority of the MMA media) that he won.
 
James Krause gets a lot of attention for being brainy as a fighter and coach.
 
GSP. He had every opponent blooged as to what to do, because their game plan became Georges. He beat them where they were strongest, and always mixed in his signatures. And when he did face adversity, he was able to adjust to every situation he faced, usually ending up back on top.
 
Highest fight IQ would be Jon Jones.
Shane Carwin, he's a legit engineer.
 
GSP has no fight IQ and he knows it. Its his coach that have great fight IQ ( Danaher, Freddie Roach, Firas, Greg Jackson ..)
He only do whats his gameplan is and stick to it 100%.
Its freddie roach who told him between round to faint with the right to go for th left hook against Bisping.

But in terme of real fight IQ during the fight, Gane has real striker fight IQ, adapting his striking to what his opponnant will react to his faint.
 
Not sure I agree with GSP, I mean he could follow a gameplan VERY well but I wouldnt say he was that great at adaptation during a match.

Khabib I get more of a sense his game is more adaptive, more a response to what he actually encounters in the cage.
 
1. GSP
A big gap
2. Jones but he's a cheater
3. Cejudo (the way he come back in the moraes fight was pretty remarkable)
 
The big black mark against GSP fight IQ wise for me is the Serra loss.

I suspect GSP before that fight basically gameplanned to avoid the ground thinking Serra main threat was his BJJ but actually in the fight I think you see the danger coming before the finish. Serra doesnt just hurt GSP with no hail marry punch he's landing well before that looking dangerous, without the threat of the takedown GSP struggles to keep him at range.

I mean in the rematch you pretty much see GSP admit he got his gameplan wrong in the first fight the way he takes Serra down right away but the question would be for me should he have been able to adapt for that in the first fight?
 
However your like to define it. It's all subjective. It's hard to put it in a box. So try to drop the best in your opinion.

If I had to choose if say gsp and khabib. Mm probably in there too.

I don't think Jon is the best at making adjustments as the others I listed. I think Jon has a very high fight IQ with high creativity. But when is been tested, but subpart fighters while his prime is going down it's look questionable.

Everyone gets old and everyone is beatable but IMO santos is not a high IQ fighter. Neither is reyes. All three of his past intents got finished by lesser talented guys.
For me I define it as the ability to make adjustments and technical proficieny in all areas. Id have give it to Cejudo, or for active fighters Id say proven fight iq goes to Volk or Holloway. Volk prior 2 the Holloway rematch had some of the best mid fight reads coupled with his complete well roundedness. His striking is very subtle but some of the most effective in the sport and makes very little mistakes. Holloway for the adjustments he made in the second fight ans his recent fight recognizing and exploiting Kattars weakness.

I dont rate the higher weightclasses very high but Stipes ability to make adjustments for dcs adjustments in the 3rd fight was exceptional.
 
GSP has no fight IQ and he knows it. Its his coach that have great fight IQ ( Danaher, Freddie Roach, Firas, Greg Jackson ..)
He only do whats his gameplan is and stick to it 100%.
Its freddie roach who told him between round to faint with the right to go for th left hook against Bisping.

But in terme of real fight IQ during the fight, Gane has real striker fight IQ, adapting his striking to what his opponnant will react to his faint.

The smartest man is the man who gets the smartest advisers.
 
Khabib has the highest fight IQ in MMA history.

Not only that but he's the biggest clutch performer. The circumstances of the Conor and Gaethje fights were insane amounts of pressure and emotion yet he conquered.

KhaGOAT bless.
{<jordan}
 
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