I think it's actually the opposite. Imo Islam is the 'highest level' achieved at lightweight while khabib is greater. Islam got knocked out in the UFC, I don't know why people choose to shrug that off but right now he's reached the most impressive skill at that weight class. Khabib never lost and you can argue that he would beat Islam in a neutral fight between them, but I think skill for skill Islam has better chances of beating any other lightweight, even better than prime Khabib, right now.
If you've seen both their careers play out, you know one was just so many levels above the competition. There were no close calls, no battles of attrition, heck didn't even have scratches after almost all his fights. This was as dominant an athlete there has ever been. So it should have been the easiest analysis, but recency bias is a real thing.
I agree, Mendez their coach literally said khabib never lost rounds in camp or practice and Islam was the only one who ever got the better of khabib and it was like a few times. I think khabib dominated Islam but we will never know so that's cool also
i totally disagree! Khabib dominated his elite wins, and Islam had very competitive fights with his, even if you believe Islam competition was slightly better he went to war with Dustin and Volk and for the most part Khabib made dustin Justin Conor and RDA look easy
@@lyvnair12when your fighting pure strikers yes lol he retired way too early n had no risky match ups the only reason he didn’t bleed was definitely a genetic thing cause Islam woulda been absolutely bloodied up if he took those same shots khabib took from Justin DP n even some from Conor but Islam just bleeds easy khabib doesn’t it’s genetic
@@trustnotasoul8249that sounded dumb lol nobody ever hit Khabib clean enough to cut him and make em bleed lol when was the last time you seen someone land clean combos on khabib
@@Pepper-g7l Merab wins close decisions via showboating. Did you forget him thrashing around for three minutes while Ricky Simon choked the life out of him?
In terms of dominance, no one comes close. GSP said that he's the scariest one that he ever saw. AI Iaquinta compared his pressure to the one of Matt Serra where it feels like 10.000 pounds is on top of you. Both Iaquinta and Poirier said that his weight distribution is on another level and that he exactly knows, how to trigger a certain reaction so he can respond accordingly with Poirier saying it was too advanced. Gaethje said that he was the toughest opponent he ever faced and the morning that he woke up from fighting Chandler and Ferguson his heart rate was between 33 and 36 whilst the morning he woke up from fighting Khabib, his heart rate was at 68. DJ despite being a flyweight said that his dream matchup would be against Khabib (also mentioned GSP and JJ) because he wants to test himself against the best. Belal said that 1 day of training with Khabib is worth a 100 days training with anybody else. Chael claimed that Khabib trained with 5 guys for 90 minutes long, testing each one of them till they gave up and could not go on then he moved on to the next one. At the end, all 5 were exhausted on the ground whilst he was standing. Chael described that he did not hurt them but that he put a certain pace on them.. TJ Dillashaw said that Khabib would be a nightmare to deal with. DC said that he's the most dominant fighter in MMA history and he even got pretty heated defending him on the Helwani show. Makhachev said that if people compare him to Khabib, they're right. He wants to be like Khabib. Whittaker himself said that he's a huge fan and that his stamina and cardio is ridiculous. He likes that everybody knows what he's going to do, every single person and no one can stop him. Whittaker also said other stuff praising him. JJ praised him although mostly for his character and these are not even all the fighters who praised him.
That’s because he was smart and didn’t take any chances. He took everyone to the ground. Islam uses his striking more, which is way better than Habib striking.
I agree that it is impressive but it is obviously easier to be dominant as a wrestler than as a striker so the idea that everyone gushes over the dominance doesn’t sit well with me. He is obviously going to take very little damage and win most of the round when he dominates the grappling exchanges. If an opponent was able to neutralize it then it would change the dynamic of the fight. The elite strikers don’t get the same praise when they show amazing technical prowess and avoid danger in far more dangerous exchanges. Wrestling is safer than striking and the wrestlers get more credit receiving less damage when obviously that is the case when they are entering a less dangerous exchange.
@@andrewchiu6226 he's just being humble, man. Russians don't disrespect their trainer by saying they can best them. Khabib doesn't even spar at this point, how is he beating Islam? Islam is better in basically every regard when jt comes to fighting.
Statistically Islam Makhachev is the LW GOAT: Longest win streak in LW history Most title defenses in LW history 4th most finishes in LW history 3th most sub in LW history
@@Slim-Clips alright we'll use something other than stats to highlight how he's greater than khabib. He beat volk who was considered the P4P top guy when Islam beat him. I know the excuse everyone flocks to so I'll remind everyone volk weighed more than Islam and has a longer reach (volk is short but he's a tree trunk with a ton of power and an abnormally long reach which offsets the height disadvantage) He beat Charles who was on a long win streak and also toward the top in P4P rankings before Islam dethroned him. Both guys he beat are true Mixed martial artist who can get it done on the ground or on the feet. The majority of the guys khabib beat relied on one aspect of MMA for their success...
@ Yeah Volk is also a 5’5” featherweight. Khabib would’ve beaten him a lot more comfortably, same with Oliveira. Nothing you’ve said proves anything about Islam’s game, you’ve just listed two wins and praised them. Khabib was a better fighter.
@@Slim-Clips you thumbs up your own comments... Regardless of your clear bias volk and Charles alone put Islam at the top. Volk #1 P4P (considered unbeatable in his prime) and Charles was directly behind him bouncing between 2 or 3 in P4P rankings. Were any of the guys khabib faced even in the top 5 of P4P rankings other than Conor?
@Slim-Clips shorter height=Better Takedown defence due to lower center of gravity. And easier getups You saying volk will lose to a grappler specialist due to his height tells me you don't know fighting on a deeper level which is fine since you're entitled to your own opinion but it doesn't mean that it's good
but he didnt dominate for long, and not as much as people say. Most of his fights were against cans, AL quinta made him look average as a rank 11 short notice fight, he lost to thibaut and retired early. Islam is the GOAT
@@DecodingWithJordanthats Not true he dominated laquinta and mma maths Doesn’t work islam also got dropped by Ramos is he now a Bad Fighter? No and he didn‘t lose to tibau watch the fight khabib 29-28 clearly just dagi/muslims hater Are the Only one that saying that tibau won
@@Colyster42428 Makachev never got dropped by Ramos, Makachev is the one who dropped Ramos. Makachev reached out to grab Ramos legs as a feint, and being in that awkward position the sec he got hit his knee barely touched the ground. Not even the stats show Ramos has a knockdown like what are you even talking about.
Khabib was an elite specialist. Relentless pressure, phenomenal ground control, excellent stamina and what cemented him as a legendary fighter was the fact that he never bled and he was an inspiration both inside and outside of the ring. The respect he got from champions, fighters and ex-fighters of other divisions puts him up there with the likes of GSP. Islam on the other hand is the Ultimate Fighter. He has submitted Jiu Jitsu black belts, has outstruck the best strikers and knocked out those who were the best on their feet. The fact that he has never ducked anyone even when the top 10 was avoiding him prior to his title reign, makes him a legend. Specializing in the d'arce choke with his ruthless pressure and squeeze. He draws power from his back muscles and you're not supposed to have such grip on your forearms unless you have the squeeze of a hydraulic press. Both are legends, both are worthy of being a champion and both have an insane fighting iq. I do pick Islam over Khabib but Khabib himself would do the exact same thing and he referred many times to Islam even during his own reign. It was almost art how Khabib flew into the crowd, all by himself after manhandling Conor. It was a reflection of his constant pressure and courage to defend his honour. In a video from another angle, you can see Makhachev running from the side of the cage, almost tripping and diving into the crowd as well which was a reflection for me of his mindset now. That mindset which says "I don't care who you put infront of me I'll fight them". That brotherhood is what makes them individually even stronger imo.
khabib was a lot more effective in the octagon tho. yes islam "strikes with the best strikers" but he gets dropped and cut open doing so. khabib hardly ever took damage and no one could connect clean due to his distance management. khabib is also a lot bigger and physically stronger than islam, khabib missed weight all the time. and everyone who trains with them says khabib wins every single round between them
that isn't really a fair comparison. Usman is 26, probably 6 years away from his prime and Umar is only 29 as well. If you compare a 26-year-old Khabib to Usman right now, Usman is definitely a more complete fighter. Even Khabibs coach said Usman is by far the most talented guy he has ever trained.
Weasel don’t you think that the reason why Connor McGregor was khabib’s toughest fight was because all of the cheating Connor was doing? I remember Khabib having Conor in a kimura in the 2nd round and Conor kneeing him in the head causing Khabib to lose the submission.
@@TheSpecimen232 also because Khabib has granite chin and relentless cardio alongside his chain wrestling and gnp. He's literally a tank that will drain your energy but also dangerous and can finish you.
@@TheSpecimen232simply put Islam has to pick his shots to reserve his energy for later rounds. Khabib can throw the kitchen sink and put pressure all rounds
Exactly, Khabib never looked in trouble for more than a couple of seconds, if that.. that's just crazy. Khabib was the terminator of the UFC.. chin made of steel, relentless, scary aura.. you know what he's going to do, you can't stop it, only run and delay the inevitable.
And those guys have improved when they faught charles. Dp and arguably gaethje were better versions of themselves when they got to charles than when they faught khabib
An undefeated record means almost nothing imo, especially in MMA. The best thing Khabib has going for his legacy wise is the fact that he never shed a drop of his own blood in the octagon, was never visibly rocked, never badly bruised in a fight. That will never be done again by anyone in this sport. Islam is greater for sure especially if he keeps it going, but Khabib’s intangibles are ridiculous.
An undefeated record means a LOT when you make it to the ufc championship. Habib Was inbeatable andthats why he is undefeated. Whilst Islam looks mortal. And another exampleis Umar, he was suppost to retire 30:0... if you think abojt it you realise how insane khabibs record actually is. He was Casablanca of beating everyone. And would have been the betting favorite against middleweights.
@ClarityIsGood Khabib unbeatable? not even close to being true and anyone who knows MMA knows this isnt true An undefeated record means nothing when you fight cans and favourable match ups your whole career, he also lost to thibaut quite clearly, reitred early and pulled out of difficult fights. To say someone is unbeatable you have to prove it through generations lmao you cant just defend your belt a couple of times then retire, sorry
@@DecodingWithJordan what is that nonesense you are yapping?! You are literally twisting reality. You have got a terrible sense of judgement. Just saying.
@ClarityIsGood "you are literally twisting reality" No, I stated nothing but facts which you didn't refute because they cannot he refuted. Try again "You have a terrible sense of judgment" when everything I said was a fact is laughable. Try harder.
@DecodingWithJordan you are delusional. Khabib made everyone seem like an amateur. And you have to rewatch the Gleisen fight cause he was doing well but not winning against the eagle. Khabib was fighting everyone that the ufc offered him and stepped into the octagone against him. Those are facts, not your nonesense. Khabib literally defeated a former dubble champ and 2 at that time champs. The best of the best. And lastly. If you dont accept the fact that Khabib looked unbeatable then something you got a lot wrong in yo head(probably just hate towards a great humanbeing, which outs you as a reallife L-user). Dont you dare talking back now. Have a nice life, bye bye.
It’s not just title defenses. Islam has beaten better competition than Khabib. Khabib is great, but he gets over-romanticized because of the 0 next to his name.
Khabib has fought very well rounded fighters to like Rafael Dos Anjos who was a, wrestler plus good at submissions as he was world BJJ champ. But Islam has fought more of dangerous grapplers.
Khabib is a big what-if. We don't know how many times he would've defended the belt, whether he would've stayed undefeated. People claim the latter like it's a fact, but Usman at one point was seen as the welterweight Khabib and we all saw what happened in Edwards II. Islam is better. He's not a what-if. More defenses, better resume, more balanced fighter, may move up and do good there. If it wasn't for that freak KO, this wouldn't even be a debate.
Definitely wasn't 100% but there was a good chance he would beat anyone next for God knows how long Usman being called welterweight khabib is misplaced even at the time, sure he was dominant and winning fights but not the dominance khabib showed, Edwards was always a hard matchup, not sure who you'd say is khabibs hardest matchup because he didn't go 5 rounds with dangerous guys like Dustin or Conor or Justin
Khabib was a different beast. He used to break his opponents mentally. “Before the fight they believe, after the first round they don't believe. His opponents always had a thousand yard stare (remember Barboza and McGregor). It used to be like Khabib took their souls. Miss that Era of the UFC!!!
Islam easily, I don’t care what anyone says Khabib didn’t make weight for Gaethje fight and still got to keep his belt and struggled in general making the weight more than Islam.
The fight between Dustin and Islam was not a war, Dustin got his ass beat for the entire fight and won a round because of a good shot that cut Islam in a round he was getting his head boxed off in
For me, it's always Khabib. The dude had a ruthlessness and an ability to inflict pain. He never even got cut and never even bled. He had one game plan. Everyone and their grandmother knew what was coming and it was still unstoppable. Islam may be way more skilled, have many ways to beat you, and a better fighter but I will always take Khabib.
I lean towards Islam just because he’s not afraid to strike and put himself in danger . Islam has gave us banger fights . He really shows that he’s well rounded . That’s just my opinion though .
The only good grappler Khabib fought was RDA and he won it by decision. Makachev finished Tiago Moises, Oliveira, Moicano plus he beat the ADCC world champion Davi Ramos. Let that sinks in.
Theres no question, Islam. Most title defences in LW history, more UFC wins, higher level competition, and of course much better as a fighter skill wise with better BJJ and striking. I do think if Khabib continued his career he wouldve been the LW goat still, but oh well Khabib didn't do nearly enough during his UFC career.
Fighters count rounds , Khabib gave minutes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I've been hurt more working at KFC than Khabib in his career 😳 The skills of Islam Makhachev are " Elite "
I remember pointing out to someone who was hating on the whole "Khabib never spilled blood" thing, that I've bled just playing with my 3 year old. The fact that someone navigated an entire career smashing into the best cage fighters on the planet without taking damage is not just impressive, it's incomprehensible.
I think you also have to factor in the improvements made in the entirety of the ufc after Khabib. He was so dominant it forced everybody to try to learn how to defend that dagestani style, which made it harder for Islam because fighters like porier somewhat knew what to expect and had experience with islams coach. When Khabib rose, nobody had seen his style, i mean he literally dominated fighters with the handcuff and they had no answer for it, whereas now they’ve learned defenses.
I think Islam is better just due to the high level competition he has faced , Khabib fought strikers in all 3 of his title defences while islam fought Charles and Volk who are both well rounded especially volk , i also think he fought a better more experience version of dustin with better takedown defence . i do feel bad for him as he will always have * on his title defences , the volk short notice fight , the moicano short notice . I think he knows it as well thats why he is staying and defending his lightweight belt one more time
Khabib has all the flashy stats (Undefeated, Only lost 2 rounds etc), But Islam is a more complete fighter with a better legacy, Islam is a top 5 fighter O.A.T, Khabib is not
Dustin poier vs Islam was way better than when he fought khabib. Dustin had way more training and knowledge over the Dagestan camp. Which is why it was so competitive.
Gotta disagree on Dustin Porier not being in his prime. I think the only reason Dustin faired better against Islam than he did Khabib is because he is in fact in his prime and has evolved as a fighter. Younger DP might’ve had more physical prowess, sure, but I don’t think physical prowess = figjter’s prime. I think it also has it do with their skill level and whether or not they’re growing in skill, stagnating or going backwards. DP looked damn near as physically fit and imo, without a doubt was a more skillful version of himself versus Islam than he was against Khabib
Honesty I think Dustin was the same for the most part in both fights the difference I think is between khabib and Islams mindset Islam won’t stress the takedown he’ll prove he can strike with you which can benefit you even tho he’s elite at it while Khabib will keep forcing the issue and stick to the gameplan like a LW merab that actual gets the takedown right away but unlike Merabs he keeps you there
Is 13-0 really that much better than 16-1? Thats still more wins for islam than khabib had total fights and arguably better quality of competition being the new age over the older one unless someone believes prime for prime the fighters would be roughly equivalent on paper
Islam fought better competition, I don’t care what Guru Fan girls say about his resume. Knocking out the p4p number 1, submitting the best submission artist in the UFC, Beating one of the best freestyle wrestlers in Arman, out boxing the best boxer in his division and just being down to fight anyone. Islam is more active, skilled and entertaining than Khabib. Islam is the lightweight GOAT !
Everything what you said might be true but ask yourself this question .. you put Islam (or any lightweight for that matter) against Khabib, who comes out victorious? If you are honest, then you know the answer is Khabib. At the end of the day, that's what matters most IMO.. stats are just numbers.
He arguably lost the first Volk fight and beat an off the couch Volk in the second. Went to war with an out of prime Poirier. His two most impressive wins are Charles and Moicano (who at the very least had a full training camp and wasn’t coming off the couch). But that’s as far as it goes. Makachev is the best only when you remove context. Even his “good” wins have an asterisk. People forget that his Hooker and Green wins were also “off the couch” replacements. If were going to debate greatest of all time in a weight class, context very much matters. Something this video and Makhachev fanboys clearly ignore. Just to be clear, this is not Makhechev’s fault, it’s just unfortunate facts.
@@takisk.7698Islam wins. People talk about Khabib dominated in sparring lol they forgot Makachev didn't hunt for Khabib's head with his high kick and left arm during sparring.
@@Jokkegeden yeah but he craps on Islam‘s resume and keeps calling him inbred and a cheat. And Thats fine he can have his opinion, but the problem is that many casuals watch his videos and nod their heads, because they’re too stupid to have their own opinions
Both great fighters. But apart from the domination aspect I don't think Khabib has an edge on anything else with Islam. I don't see how a 13-0 record is better than 16-1 for example
If you're going off of stats absolutely Islam but that doesn't change the fact that these two guys regularly throw down and have for the last 20 years and 99% of the time Khabib dominates Islam this is very well documented and testified to and not disputed by anybody who is close to them
Interesting. Has Islam or people from their gym said that before in interviews or something? Im just genuinely curious and would be interested in seeing other speak on the relationship between Islam and Khabib
I will let you do your own research, there are plenty of interviews with Javier Mendez Islam himself and many others that they trained with for years that they all say the only person in the gym whoever gets the better of Khabib is Islam and it's only once in a great while true in a real fight anybody can win but if you're matching skill for skill my money would be on Khabib
People who pick Makachev will come out with straight facts and stats. People who picked Khabib will come out with subjective things such as "dominant", "aura", "Khabib will beat Makachev". Lol 😂😂
Honestly I think Islam would beat khabib. It’s very hard to imagine khabib subbing Islam, and 5 rounds ragdolling Islam would be a tall task as well, given his own grappling prowess. I think khabib might win rounds with takedowns but I can imagine Islam would be able to do more damage over 25.
Islam def because of how hes willing to exchange. Simple as that because they both had decent comp. Mindset is something no one seems to count and islam is willing to take you where you feel comfortable and still best you there.
Personally, i like Khabib better. I think he accomplished in less time. He also broke down the door that Islam walked through. Has the better personality that sells fights and gets people interetsed.
Justin is one of the easiest stylistic matchups for khabib or Islam Islam beating him would be redundant i think his win over mociano is more impressive than a win over gaethje due to how easy Justin gives up his back
Actually incredible that both of them are the elite of the elite. We have the entire world competing and these two guys from the same region are far above the competition.
Islam is more exciting to watch, but Khabib's last couple of fights were all great too. Khabib was more dominant and fought more intelligently but Islam's more willing to take chances. It's hard to say, Khabib has a much more dedicated fan base that will argue for him no matter what. But I like Islam for the fact he's willing to move up to WW.
Islam is more well rounded, and will have a better record on paper, but Khabib is the better fighter. Islam has more finishes, but Khabib had more one sided wins / less wars.
It's obviously Islam will end up becoming the lightweight goat, Even tho prime Khabib would beat primw Islam at least by a close decision, However...I started to feel bad for my guy Khabib coz whenever someone becomes a champ and starts to defend his title/ Or a new champ is in the making, People in Instagram and Twitter quickly jump in to compare this new fighter or champ to Khabib and Khabib *ONLY.* We don't see them compare the new champs to any other former champ but Khabib.
in octagon = islam in realife = khabib Khabib is one of the most disciplined fighters, never bleeding in fights and known for his integrity. He donates to his opponents' charities, provides water to Africa, and always has incredible stories behind his fights-like competing with a broken foot or after his father's passing. The Khabib vs. Conor fight, with its chaotic buildup, also set a record for the highest PPV sales, unlikely to ever be surpassed. owhhh that Tony vs Khabib story too.. Khabib had unique story to tell Islam is the best fighter of the current generation, but Khabib is on a whole different level.
I know its only one of the many elements you touched upon, but the sheer dominance Khabib displayed against elite lightweights (prime Dustin, prime Gaethje and Conor who had just beaten Alvarez, prime Dos Anjos, prime Barboza) and how he never bleed and gave nothing away is just crazy mind blowing and just can’t wrap my head around it. We will not see anything like that ever again.
I don't care to pick between them, they're too different and yet too much the same - they literally represent one coherent entity to me. Islam's rise to greatness is just a continuation of Khabib's success, they each share in the other's status and legacy. The only thing that matters is that they're better than everyone else.
love your vedios but my take on goats are different..its not math for me..its about the aura,the imapct nd the excitement around the fighter nd in his contiribution in fight game in general..nd by this standard i ll give it to khabib in LW nd gsp in general..
The most fun criteria to add to the discussion is "how good they looked on their best night". It's very difficult to quantify but I like having it as something to consider.
None of those guys are like khabib , period !! ... there's only one khabib Nurmagomedov , just one. Love support respect always for the most modest champion in the ufc Islam Makhachev.
If Khabib didn't retire then Islam should still be No1 contender...khabib paved the way for Islam and khabib was not selfish by promoting Islam after he retired.
Statistically - Islam Makhachev but Khabib was special. What makes Khabib GOAT-status is his absolute dominance. Nobody comes even close to the sheer dominance of Khabib.
I’m not going to let you downplay Islam knocking out Volk. Short notice has nothing to do with getting decapitated in the FIRST ROUND. Nope. Save those lame excuses. ✌🏾
I'd say Khabib is still the best LW ever because of the sheer dominance he had in that cage. He never got rocked, never bled, never been dropped. He was just too good. Besides...he left when he JUST hit his prime and we all know he'd still be champ today if he didn't retire.
I think Khabib is the "best" fighter where Islam is the "greatest." I think Khabib beats any lightweight but Islam has the best resume.
I think it's actually the opposite.
Imo Islam is the 'highest level' achieved at lightweight while khabib is greater. Islam got knocked out in the UFC, I don't know why people choose to shrug that off but right now he's reached the most impressive skill at that weight class.
Khabib never lost and you can argue that he would beat Islam in a neutral fight between them, but I think skill for skill Islam has better chances of beating any other lightweight, even better than prime Khabib, right now.
@@VOIDEDs Agreed.
If you've seen both their careers play out, you know one was just so many levels above the competition. There were no close calls, no battles of attrition, heck didn't even have scratches after almost all his fights. This was as dominant an athlete there has ever been. So it should have been the easiest analysis, but recency bias is a real thing.
I agree, Mendez their coach literally said khabib never lost rounds in camp or practice and Islam was the only one who ever got the better of khabib and it was like a few times. I think khabib dominated Islam but we will never know so that's cool also
i totally disagree! Khabib dominated his elite wins, and Islam had very competitive fights with his, even if you believe Islam competition was slightly better he went to war with Dustin and Volk and for the most part Khabib made dustin Justin Conor and RDA look easy
The fact that Khabib has the most 10-8 rounds in ufc history and he has never bled. Pure dominance
doesnt mean much when youre a world class wrestler and all of your fights are against stikers
@@DecodingWithJordan many can win the round by back control, not many can 10-8 gnp
@@lyvnair12when your fighting pure strikers yes lol he retired way too early n had no risky match ups the only reason he didn’t bleed was definitely a genetic thing cause Islam woulda been absolutely bloodied up if he took those same shots khabib took from Justin DP n even some from Conor but Islam just bleeds easy khabib doesn’t it’s genetic
@@jimmygutierrez2624 Then what would that mean with Makachev finishing 10 out of his 13 opponents since 2018.? Winning by 10-8 is more dominant.? 🤡
@@trustnotasoul8249that sounded dumb lol nobody ever hit Khabib clean enough to cut him and make em bleed lol when was the last time you seen someone land clean combos on khabib
Nobody had aura like Khabib. Islam has a better resume though.
Damn right, Khabib was unstoppable, and everyone knew it.
Merab has better and bigger aura than Khabib... what are you talking about? you casual fans are delusional
@@Pepper-g7l Aura is entirely a feeling, an opinion, so you don’t have to feel an obligation to be offended if you like Merab more.
@@Pepper-g7l Merab wins close decisions via showboating. Did you forget him thrashing around for three minutes while Ricky Simon choked the life out of him?
@@1994mrmysterymanI like merab but this description made me lol
In my opinion, Khabib's shear dominance against everyone he fought is insane. He barely took any damage over his entire career.
In terms of dominance, no one comes close. GSP said that he's the scariest one that he ever saw. AI Iaquinta compared his pressure to the one of Matt Serra where it feels like 10.000 pounds is on top of you. Both Iaquinta and Poirier said that his weight distribution is on another level and that he exactly knows, how to trigger a certain reaction so he can respond accordingly with Poirier saying it was too advanced. Gaethje said that he was the toughest opponent he ever faced and the morning that he woke up from fighting Chandler and Ferguson his heart rate was between 33 and 36 whilst the morning he woke up from fighting Khabib, his heart rate was at 68. DJ despite being a flyweight said that his dream matchup would be against Khabib (also mentioned GSP and JJ) because he wants to test himself against the best. Belal said that 1 day of training with Khabib is worth a 100 days training with anybody else. Chael claimed that Khabib trained with 5 guys for 90 minutes long, testing each one of them till they gave up and could not go on then he moved on to the next one. At the end, all 5 were exhausted on the ground whilst he was standing. Chael described that he did not hurt them but that he put a certain pace on them.. TJ Dillashaw said that Khabib would be a nightmare to deal with. DC said that he's the most dominant fighter in MMA history and he even got pretty heated defending him on the Helwani show. Makhachev said that if people compare him to Khabib, they're right. He wants to be like Khabib. Whittaker himself said that he's a huge fan and that his stamina and cardio is ridiculous. He likes that everybody knows what he's going to do, every single person and no one can stop him. Whittaker also said other stuff praising him. JJ praised him although mostly for his character and these are not even all the fighters who praised him.
@IscoMadrid-fd7fy please stop choking on Khabib's meat. Come up for air bro, we're worried.
That’s because he was smart and didn’t take any chances. He took everyone to the ground. Islam uses his striking more, which is way better than Habib striking.
I agree that it is impressive but it is obviously easier to be dominant as a wrestler than as a striker so the idea that everyone gushes over the dominance doesn’t sit well with me. He is obviously going to take very little damage and win most of the round when he dominates the grappling exchanges. If an opponent was able to neutralize it then it would change the dynamic of the fight.
The elite strikers don’t get the same praise when they show amazing technical prowess and avoid danger in far more dangerous exchanges.
Wrestling is safer than striking and the wrestlers get more credit receiving less damage when obviously that is the case when they are entering a less dangerous exchange.
@@ageedtahir3128 100%, he's more well-grounded than khabib
The aura and impact of Khabib is unmatched even though Islam has better resume. Not to mention ufc 229 will forever be remembered.
How’s Noah 😂
@@BIGWORMTHEGERMask McRap-ist how's nikita.?
@@BIGWORMTHEGERMAli abdezaleez😂 , we’ll hows Nikita hand ? How’s Dee devlin?
@@zorlockts5744 how’s khabib's cousin & not Umar I’m taking about his cousin wife towel lady
Who's gonna win?: Khabib
Who's gonna become the lightweight goat?: Islam
Huh?
@@apollo5261 Islam will become the LW GOAT because of the resume. But even he says Khabib used to beat him all the time in their sparring.
Makachev would easily beat khabib via unanimous decision by Out striking him after stalling the takedowns.
@@andrewchiu6226 he's just being humble, man. Russians don't disrespect their trainer by saying they can best them. Khabib doesn't even spar at this point, how is he beating Islam? Islam is better in basically every regard when jt comes to fighting.
@@seriustraco Islam can’t handle Khabib’s relentless grappling
Statistically Islam Makhachev is the LW GOAT:
Longest win streak in LW history
Most title defenses in LW history
4th most finishes in LW history
3th most sub in LW history
@UnbanGehrmanSparrow
Good thing fighters aren’t judged by stats then.
@@Slim-Clips alright we'll use something other than stats to highlight how he's greater than khabib. He beat volk who was considered the P4P top guy when Islam beat him. I know the excuse everyone flocks to so I'll remind everyone volk weighed more than Islam and has a longer reach (volk is short but he's a tree trunk with a ton of power and an abnormally long reach which offsets the height disadvantage)
He beat Charles who was on a long win streak and also toward the top in P4P rankings before Islam dethroned him.
Both guys he beat are true Mixed martial artist who can get it done on the ground or on the feet. The majority of the guys khabib beat relied on one aspect of MMA for their success...
@
Yeah Volk is also a 5’5” featherweight. Khabib would’ve beaten him a lot more comfortably, same with Oliveira. Nothing you’ve said proves anything about Islam’s game, you’ve just listed two wins and praised them. Khabib was a better fighter.
@@Slim-Clips you thumbs up your own comments...
Regardless of your clear bias volk and Charles alone put Islam at the top. Volk #1 P4P (considered unbeatable in his prime) and Charles was directly behind him bouncing between 2 or 3 in P4P rankings.
Were any of the guys khabib faced even in the top 5 of P4P rankings other than Conor?
@Slim-Clips shorter height=Better Takedown defence due to lower center of gravity. And easier getups
You saying volk will lose to a grappler specialist due to his height tells me you don't know fighting on a deeper level which is fine since you're entitled to your own opinion but it doesn't mean that it's good
Khabib domination is what makes us think he is the goat of the division
but he didnt dominate for long, and not as much as people say. Most of his fights were against cans, AL quinta made him look average as a rank 11 short notice fight, he lost to thibaut and retired early. Islam is the GOAT
@@DecodingWithJordanthats Not true he dominated laquinta and mma maths Doesn’t work islam also got dropped by Ramos is he now a Bad Fighter? No and he didn‘t lose to tibau watch the fight khabib 29-28 clearly just dagi/muslims hater Are the Only one that saying that tibau won
@@Colyster42428like 28 out of 30 MMA publications had it scored for Tibau 😂
@@Colyster42428 Makachev never got dropped by Ramos, Makachev is the one who dropped Ramos. Makachev reached out to grab Ramos legs as a feint, and being in that awkward position the sec he got hit his knee barely touched the ground. Not even the stats show Ramos has a knockdown like what are you even talking about.
Resume. Islam #1
Khabib was an elite specialist. Relentless pressure, phenomenal ground control, excellent stamina and what cemented him as a legendary fighter was the fact that he never bled and he was an inspiration both inside and outside of the ring. The respect he got from champions, fighters and ex-fighters of other divisions puts him up there with the likes of GSP. Islam on the other hand is the Ultimate Fighter. He has submitted Jiu Jitsu black belts, has outstruck the best strikers and knocked out those who were the best on their feet. The fact that he has never ducked anyone even when the top 10 was avoiding him prior to his title reign, makes him a legend. Specializing in the d'arce choke with his ruthless pressure and squeeze. He draws power from his back muscles and you're not supposed to have such grip on your forearms unless you have the squeeze of a hydraulic press. Both are legends, both are worthy of being a champion and both have an insane fighting iq. I do pick Islam over Khabib but Khabib himself would do the exact same thing and he referred many times to Islam even during his own reign. It was almost art how Khabib flew into the crowd, all by himself after manhandling Conor. It was a reflection of his constant pressure and courage to defend his honour. In a video from another angle, you can see Makhachev running from the side of the cage, almost tripping and diving into the crowd as well which was a reflection for me of his mindset now. That mindset which says "I don't care who you put infront of me I'll fight them". That brotherhood is what makes them individually even stronger imo.
khabib was a lot more effective in the octagon tho. yes islam "strikes with the best strikers" but he gets dropped and cut open doing so. khabib hardly ever took damage and no one could connect clean due to his distance management. khabib is also a lot bigger and physically stronger than islam, khabib missed weight all the time. and everyone who trains with them says khabib wins every single round between them
You should consider using spaces when typing long blocks of text.
Ppl also were comparing Usman and Umar to Khabib but none of 'em are close. There's only one Khabib
Facts
that isn't really a fair comparison. Usman is 26, probably 6 years away from his prime and Umar is only 29 as well. If you compare a 26-year-old Khabib to Usman right now, Usman is definitely a more complete fighter. Even Khabibs coach said Usman is by far the most talented guy he has ever trained.
Usman has no where near the discipline or work ethic that Islam and Khabib have.
@@junaidahmed2235 Khabib won the belt at 29... Umar is behind. And he probably won't get another crack at the belt until he's 30
Umar is BETTER than Khabib, Khabib just fought weaker opponents
Islam, Coach Javier and many others said that the only person who could "sometimes" win a round with Khabib was Islam.
That's how good khabib was.
Weasel don’t you think that the reason why Connor McGregor was khabib’s toughest fight was because all of the cheating Connor was doing? I remember Khabib having Conor in a kimura in the 2nd round and Conor kneeing him in the head causing Khabib to lose the submission.
The thing is I'm worried when islam fights.
Not worried when khabib fights.
For some unknown reason
Cause of their style differences. The way Islam fights leads to more of a chance of possibly losing
Me too bro i thought i was alone😂, the worst thing is i can’t eat normally and i tremble when he’s fighting like i’m the one fighting lmao
@@TheSpecimen232 also because Khabib has granite chin and relentless cardio alongside his chain wrestling and gnp. He's literally a tank that will drain your energy but also dangerous and can finish you.
@@TheSpecimen232simply put Islam has to pick his shots to reserve his energy for later rounds. Khabib can throw the kitchen sink and put pressure all rounds
Exactly, Khabib never looked in trouble for more than a couple of seconds, if that.. that's just crazy.
Khabib was the terminator of the UFC.. chin made of steel, relentless, scary aura.. you know what he's going to do, you can't stop it, only run and delay the inevitable.
Olivera beat all the guys Khabib beat easily. Islam submitted Olivera
The competition has improved since Khabibs time.
Thats not how that works though. Charles also beat Dustin, and Dustin was a much harder fight for Islam than Charles.
And those guys have improved when they faught charles. Dp and arguably gaethje were better versions of themselves when they got to charles than when they faught khabib
Nope Oliveira almost got knocked out against both Dustin and Justin 😂😂
@@truthseeker96Still beat them both by finish faster than Khabib.
@@filipferencak2717 You said it "faster" not more "dominantly"
The dominance Khabib had was something else. He was invincible fighting at the highest level against opponents in their prime.
technically not true
He was easily outwrestled by Tibau
@@mightnmagic3095 juice to the gills tibau? The one who got suspended right after for peds? Naahh even with steroids, khabib still won
@@mightnmagic3095 Tibau without peds got KOed by Islam 😂
@@SA0450 I said he outwrestled kebob easy
Islam is greater, but Khabib will always be the best
Makes no sense
I’m trying to make sense of that.
This is cope.
No. Islam is also a better fighter. He is as close to a perfect well rounded fighter as there ever was
@@saulspanco854legacy Islam is better. Khabib in terms of who would win in a fight
An undefeated record means almost nothing imo, especially in MMA. The best thing Khabib has going for his legacy wise is the fact that he never shed a drop of his own blood in the octagon, was never visibly rocked, never badly bruised in a fight. That will never be done again by anyone in this sport. Islam is greater for sure especially if he keeps it going, but Khabib’s intangibles are ridiculous.
An undefeated record means a LOT when you make it to the ufc championship. Habib Was inbeatable andthats why he is undefeated. Whilst Islam looks mortal. And another exampleis Umar, he was suppost to retire 30:0... if you think abojt it you realise how insane khabibs record actually is. He was Casablanca of beating everyone. And would have been the betting favorite against middleweights.
@ClarityIsGood Khabib unbeatable? not even close to being true and anyone who knows MMA knows this isnt true
An undefeated record means nothing when you fight cans and favourable match ups your whole career, he also lost to thibaut quite clearly, reitred early and pulled out of difficult fights. To say someone is unbeatable you have to prove it through generations lmao you cant just defend your belt a couple of times then retire, sorry
@@DecodingWithJordan what is that nonesense you are yapping?! You are literally twisting reality.
You have got a terrible sense of judgement. Just saying.
@ClarityIsGood "you are literally twisting reality"
No, I stated nothing but facts which you didn't refute because they cannot he refuted. Try again
"You have a terrible sense of judgment" when everything I said was a fact is laughable. Try harder.
@DecodingWithJordan you are delusional.
Khabib made everyone seem like an amateur. And you have to rewatch the Gleisen fight cause he was doing well but not winning against the eagle.
Khabib was fighting everyone that the ufc offered him and stepped into the octagone against him.
Those are facts, not your nonesense.
Khabib literally defeated a former dubble champ and 2 at that time champs. The best of the best.
And lastly. If you dont accept the fact that Khabib looked unbeatable then something you got a lot wrong in yo head(probably just hate towards a great humanbeing, which outs you as a reallife L-user).
Dont you dare talking back now. Have a nice life, bye bye.
Islam without a doubt he's had harder competition
Islam is better if we’re talking bout title defenses or stats, but Khabib is the best, he shouldn’t have retired early
It’s not just title defenses. Islam has beaten better competition than Khabib. Khabib is great, but he gets over-romanticized because of the 0 next to his name.
Yeah Islam for sure
@@shushanthswinderballs1122just look at khabibs fights. DOMINATED everyone. Islam has shown he can be beaten
Ur saying islam is better because of what makes him better
But khabib is better without any elaboration on why
Got it
Khabib was on another level, Islam is great, but khabib was a different beast
Khabib fought stylistically pleasing matchups, while Islam is fight grapplers and well rounded fighters.
Khabib has fought very well rounded fighters to like Rafael Dos Anjos who was a, wrestler plus good at submissions as he was world BJJ champ.
But Islam has fought more of dangerous grapplers.
Khabib is a big what-if. We don't know how many times he would've defended the belt, whether he would've stayed undefeated. People claim the latter like it's a fact, but Usman at one point was seen as the welterweight Khabib and we all saw what happened in Edwards II.
Islam is better. He's not a what-if. More defenses, better resume, more balanced fighter, may move up and do good there. If it wasn't for that freak KO, this wouldn't even be a debate.
Definitely wasn't 100% but there was a good chance he would beat anyone next for God knows how long
Usman being called welterweight khabib is misplaced even at the time, sure he was dominant and winning fights but not the dominance khabib showed, Edwards was always a hard matchup, not sure who you'd say is khabibs hardest matchup because he didn't go 5 rounds with dangerous guys like Dustin or Conor or Justin
Nah Usman was hardly winning against Colby, Khabib ragdolled through his opponents. I will say Usman was more like Islam but Islam finishes fight
Khabib’s ability to dominate almost every moment of a fight is ridiculous
Khabib was a different beast. He used to break his opponents mentally. “Before the fight they believe, after the first round they don't believe. His opponents always had a thousand yard stare (remember Barboza and McGregor). It used to be like Khabib took their souls. Miss that Era of the UFC!!!
Khabib never laid and held on from the guard hoping for the bell to ring.
Khabib also fought 3 difficult opponents who were strikers lol
@@MrNiceGuy8922it’s the truth
@@jengofetlupa44 ya your right 👍I misunderstood what he meant lol
Khabib is a one trick pony who could do nothing except bringing the game to the ground.
@@MakachevIsTheUltimateUFCdaddy and was so good at that one trick that everyone knew it was coming, an no one could stop it.
Islam easily, I don’t care what anyone says Khabib didn’t make weight for Gaethje fight and still got to keep his belt and struggled in general making the weight more than Islam.
Khabib is good. But islams record now is undeniable for lightweight goat status.
Islam will/has surpass Khabib in achievements but I'd put my money on Khabib any day.
The fight between Dustin and Islam was not a war, Dustin got his ass beat for the entire fight and won a round because of a good shot that cut Islam in a round he was getting his head boxed off in
Exactly
For me, it's always Khabib. The dude had a ruthlessness and an ability to inflict pain. He never even got cut and never even bled. He had one game plan. Everyone and their grandmother knew what was coming and it was still unstoppable. Islam may be way more skilled, have many ways to beat you, and a better fighter but I will always take Khabib.
That RDA win from Khabib was so underrated
I lean towards Islam just because he’s not afraid to strike and put himself in danger . Islam has gave us banger fights . He really shows that he’s well rounded . That’s just my opinion though .
It's Islam. He has better wins, is the more well rounded fighter and broke the title defense record
Islam is a Khabib 2.0 upgraded version
It’s Islam. Better competition and a longer title reign.
The only good grappler Khabib fought was RDA and he won it by decision. Makachev finished Tiago Moises, Oliveira, Moicano plus he beat the ADCC world champion Davi Ramos. Let that sinks in.
Theres no question, Islam. Most title defences in LW history, more UFC wins, higher level competition, and of course much better as a fighter skill wise with better BJJ and striking. I do think if Khabib continued his career he wouldve been the LW goat still, but oh well Khabib didn't do nearly enough during his UFC career.
Islam has better skills
Better resume
Bigger balls
More entertaining style
Islam wins easily only biased fanboys disagree
Fighters count rounds , Khabib gave minutes
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've been hurt more working at KFC than Khabib in his career 😳
The skills of Islam Makhachev are " Elite "
I remember pointing out to someone who was hating on the whole "Khabib never spilled blood" thing, that I've bled just playing with my 3 year old. The fact that someone navigated an entire career smashing into the best cage fighters on the planet without taking damage is not just impressive, it's incomprehensible.
I think you also have to factor in the improvements made in the entirety of the ufc after Khabib. He was so dominant it forced everybody to try to learn how to defend that dagestani style, which made it harder for Islam because fighters like porier somewhat knew what to expect and had experience with islams coach. When Khabib rose, nobody had seen his style, i mean he literally dominated fighters with the handcuff and they had no answer for it, whereas now they’ve learned defenses.
I imagine Khabib vs Islam like how Merab Vs Umar went down
I think Islam is better just due to the high level competition he has faced , Khabib fought strikers in all 3 of his title defences while islam fought Charles and Volk who are both well rounded especially volk , i also think he fought a better more experience version of dustin with better takedown defence . i do feel bad for him as he will always have * on his title defences , the volk short notice fight , the moicano short notice . I think he knows it as well thats why he is staying and defending his lightweight belt one more time
Basically the main argument for Khabib atp is he has more aura 😭
Arman beat oliveira therefore he should be considered as a great win for islam
Khabib has all the flashy stats (Undefeated, Only lost 2 rounds etc), But Islam is a more complete fighter with a better legacy, Islam is a top 5 fighter O.A.T, Khabib is not
I like Khabib but I cant lie to myself, he lost to Thibaut
Dustin poier vs Islam was way better than when he fought khabib. Dustin had way more training and knowledge over the Dagestan camp. Which is why it was so competitive.
Gotta disagree on Dustin Porier not being in his prime. I think the only reason Dustin faired better against Islam than he did Khabib is because he is in fact in his prime and has evolved as a fighter. Younger DP might’ve had more physical prowess, sure, but I don’t think physical prowess = figjter’s prime. I think it also has it do with their skill level and whether or not they’re growing in skill, stagnating or going backwards. DP looked damn near as physically fit and imo, without a doubt was a more skillful version of himself versus Islam than he was against Khabib
He basically used the same grappling defense against both of them though, Khabib is just a better grappler
Honesty I think Dustin was the same for the most part in both fights the difference I think is between khabib and Islams mindset Islam won’t stress the takedown he’ll prove he can strike with you which can benefit you even tho he’s elite at it while Khabib will keep forcing the issue and stick to the gameplan like a LW merab that actual gets the takedown right away but unlike Merabs he keeps you there
Is 13-0 really that much better than 16-1? Thats still more wins for islam than khabib had total fights and arguably better quality of competition being the new age over the older one unless someone believes prime for prime the fighters would be roughly equivalent on paper
Islam fought better competition, I don’t care what Guru Fan girls say about his resume. Knocking out the p4p number 1, submitting the best submission artist in the UFC, Beating one of the best freestyle wrestlers in Arman, out boxing the best boxer in his division and just being down to fight anyone. Islam is more active, skilled and entertaining than Khabib. Islam is the lightweight GOAT !
Everything what you said might be true but ask yourself this question .. you put Islam (or any lightweight for that matter) against Khabib, who comes out victorious?
If you are honest, then you know the answer is Khabib.
At the end of the day, that's what matters most IMO.. stats are just numbers.
He arguably lost the first Volk fight and beat an off the couch Volk in the second. Went to war with an out of prime Poirier. His two most impressive wins are Charles and Moicano (who at the very least had a full training camp and wasn’t coming off the couch). But that’s as far as it goes.
Makachev is the best only when you remove context. Even his “good” wins have an asterisk. People forget that his Hooker and Green wins were also “off the couch” replacements.
If were going to debate greatest of all time in a weight class, context very much matters. Something this video and Makhachev fanboys clearly ignore.
Just to be clear, this is not Makhechev’s fault, it’s just unfortunate facts.
@@takisk.7698Islam wins. People talk about Khabib dominated in sparring lol they forgot Makachev didn't hunt for Khabib's head with his high kick and left arm during sparring.
Guru would probably say Islam > Khabib
@@Jokkegeden yeah but he craps on Islam‘s resume and keeps calling him inbred and a cheat. And Thats fine he can have his opinion, but the problem is that many casuals watch his videos and nod their heads, because they’re too stupid to have their own opinions
The one who's never bled or lost more than one round.
I like Khabib but I cant lie to myself, he lost to Thibaut
He also lost multiple rounds, close enough though
Both great fighters. But apart from the domination aspect I don't think Khabib has an edge on anything else with Islam. I don't see how a 13-0 record is better than 16-1 for example
Khabib was more dominant, but Islam is the goat and has better wins, period. The P4P guys he's beaten are all we need to look at.
ISLAM IS KING, as perfect as Habib was, you cant run away before giving anyone known a chance to take you out
Hell yeah been waiting for this vid. Thanks for delivering Weasle
Khabib is the lw goat imo. But Islam is on the way to become the goat of the sport.
Khabib is defo not the lightweight GOAT with 3 defences lmao sorry
@@DecodingWithJordanwho is then?
@@CargoShorts7 silly question
@ I mean... on a vid that's quite literally discussing who is the greatest LW champion, it seems pretty valid lol
Islam without a doubt
If you're going off of stats absolutely Islam but that doesn't change the fact that these two guys regularly throw down and have for the last 20 years and 99% of the time Khabib dominates Islam this is very well documented and testified to and not disputed by anybody who is close to them
Training room and real fight is different brother. Cody used to beat the brakes off TJ in training but in the octagon TJ won twice in a row
Interesting. Has Islam or people from their gym said that before in interviews or something? Im just genuinely curious and would be interested in seeing other speak on the relationship between Islam and Khabib
Do you honestly believe that, like that is such utter rubbish.
In sparring Makachev didn't hunt for Khabib's head with his high kicks and left arm though. Lmao 😂😂
I will let you do your own research, there are plenty of interviews with Javier Mendez Islam himself and many others that they trained with for years that they all say the only person in the gym whoever gets the better of Khabib is Islam and it's only once in a great while true in a real fight anybody can win but if you're matching skill for skill my money would be on Khabib
Islam is the lightweight goat. Beating Volk by decision is greater than anything khabib has ever accomplished in the sport
even though Volk battered him
@@DecodingWithJordanin the last 20 seconds of the fight lmao 😂😂
I think this is just a retread of the argument of whether Khabib is a P4P GOAT. He has the dominance and aura but not the stats or resume.
Give some respect to Khabib lol. He’s the most dominant and Islam is here because of him
People who pick Makachev will come out with straight facts and stats.
People who picked Khabib will come out with subjective things such as "dominant", "aura", "Khabib will beat Makachev". Lol 😂😂
I think they are better than eachother in some aspects with Islam having a better resume
Honestly I think Islam would beat khabib. It’s very hard to imagine khabib subbing Islam, and 5 rounds ragdolling Islam would be a tall task as well, given his own grappling prowess. I think khabib might win rounds with takedowns but I can imagine Islam would be able to do more damage over 25.
Khabib vs Islam is basically Merab vs Umar... but unlike Merab, khabib actually has the finishing ability and gnp
@@jalal3254 khabib doesn't have the output or footwork of merab. Islam has better hands than Umar.
Islam def because of how hes willing to exchange. Simple as that because they both had decent comp. Mindset is something no one seems to count and islam is willing to take you where you feel comfortable and still best you there.
Personally, i like Khabib better. I think he accomplished in less time. He also broke down the door that Islam walked through. Has the better personality that sells fights and gets people interetsed.
Justin is one of the easiest stylistic matchups for khabib or Islam Islam beating him would be redundant i think his win over mociano is more impressive than a win over gaethje due to how easy Justin gives up his back
Actually incredible that both of them are the elite of the elite.
We have the entire world competing and these two guys from the same region are far above the competition.
"We never got to see how good Khabib was. We just got to see how much better he was than everyone else." Chael GOAT Sonnen
Argue resumes all you want, Khabib was a much better fighter.
No
@
Yes.
we will never know, we didnt see him fight high calibre
opponents enough
@@DecodingWithJordan
What? Yes we did.
He was a better wrestler but he couldn’t strike like Islam can
Khabib...there's no debate....Khabib never even bled in his ufc career...he's just different
No Nurmagomedov no Makhachev.
Khabib the GOAT, paved the way.
Islam is more exciting to watch, but Khabib's last couple of fights were all great too. Khabib was more dominant and fought more intelligently but Islam's more willing to take chances. It's hard to say, Khabib has a much more dedicated fan base that will argue for him no matter what. But I like Islam for the fact he's willing to move up to WW.
Khabib was great. Islam is the best
Islam in 1 to 2 fights becomes indisputablly better than Khabib.
Definitely do more videos like these for division that people change for who is the goat.
Islam is more well rounded, and will have a better record on paper, but Khabib is the better fighter. Islam has more finishes, but Khabib had more one sided wins / less wars.
It's obviously Islam will end up becoming the lightweight goat, Even tho prime Khabib would beat primw Islam at least by a close decision, However...I started to feel bad for my guy Khabib coz whenever someone becomes a champ and starts to defend his title/ Or a new champ is in the making, People in Instagram and Twitter quickly jump in to compare this new fighter or champ to Khabib and Khabib *ONLY.* We don't see them compare the new champs to any other former champ but Khabib.
He already is the lightweight goat
Both goats.
Khabib is biggest what if. I think he might be goat if he continued fighting. But if take away the what ifs, islam got better resume.
in octagon = islam
in realife = khabib
Khabib is one of the most disciplined fighters, never bleeding in fights and known for his integrity. He donates to his opponents' charities, provides water to Africa, and always has incredible stories behind his fights-like competing with a broken foot or after his father's passing. The Khabib vs. Conor fight, with its chaotic buildup, also set a record for the highest PPV sales, unlikely to ever be surpassed. owhhh that Tony vs Khabib story too.. Khabib had unique story to tell
Islam is the best fighter of the current generation, but Khabib is on a whole different level.
I know its only one of the many elements you touched upon, but the sheer dominance Khabib displayed against elite lightweights (prime Dustin, prime Gaethje and Conor who had just beaten Alvarez, prime Dos Anjos, prime Barboza) and how he never bleed and gave nothing away is just crazy mind blowing and just can’t wrap my head around it. We will not see anything like that ever again.
Khabib.
I don't think any lightweight beats Khabib. His fighting ability was on another level.
you forgot this aspect: who took the most damage. Khabib barely had any scratches in all of his 13 UFC flights. Never bled, never been knocked down
I don't care to pick between them, they're too different and yet too much the same - they literally represent one coherent entity to me. Islam's rise to greatness is just a continuation of Khabib's success, they each share in the other's status and legacy. The only thing that matters is that they're better than everyone else.
For me... When Khabib fought, you knew the opponent did not stand a chance..
But when Islam fights, I think the opponent do have a chance.
love your vedios but my take on goats are different..its not math for me..its about the aura,the imapct nd the excitement around the fighter nd in his contiribution in fight game in general..nd by this standard i ll give it to khabib in LW nd gsp in general..
Islam, Umar and Usman are extension of Khabib’s legacy.
Khabib is the GOAT that never was. So many ifs when a fighter of his caliber retired early. The stars aligned more for Islam to be the greatest.
If Islam wins the 185 strap, Islam is better and greater.
Look, on paper Islam. But Khabib will always be that elder brother to Islam
The most fun criteria to add to the discussion is "how good they looked on their best night". It's very difficult to quantify but I like having it as something to consider.
You’re wrong
None of those guys are like khabib , period !! ... there's only one khabib Nurmagomedov , just one.
Love support respect always for the most modest champion in the ufc Islam Makhachev.
If Khabib didn't retire then Islam should still be No1 contender...khabib paved the way for Islam and khabib was not selfish by promoting Islam after he retired.
Statistically - Islam Makhachev but Khabib was special.
What makes Khabib GOAT-status is his absolute dominance. Nobody comes even close to the sheer dominance of Khabib.
Do you forget that Islam Islam also beat Johnson and Tibau? Even ko round 1 Tibaut
I’m not going to let you downplay Islam knocking out Volk. Short notice has nothing to do with getting decapitated in the FIRST ROUND. Nope. Save those lame excuses. ✌🏾
Islam is greater because of who he beat compared to Khabib even tho Khabib was a lot more dominant as champion.
I'd say Khabib is still the best LW ever because of the sheer dominance he had in that cage. He never got rocked, never bled, never been dropped. He was just too good. Besides...he left when he JUST hit his prime and we all know he'd still be champ today if he didn't retire.
Simple
Resume, Well rounded Skilled = Islam Makhachev
Dominance, MMA Aura and Impact = Khabib
Islam got flattened out like a carpet, never happened to Khabib but thats what I will always remember about Islam.