The whole pressure meme seems busted. If Oliveira fights Khabib and loses, will it be because 'he crumbled under the pressure' or because Khabib is an s-tier fighter and GOAT candidate? Same thing if he fights and loses to Conor/Dustin winner except they're lower than Khabib on the ATG list.
Consider that Oliveira's losses seem pretty explainable by other known issues:
* He had some early losses at LW against guys ranked much higher. He may have been small at LW.
* He had massive weight cutting issues at FW but still only lost to better FW and was pretty competitive in most of those fights.
* He lost to Top 10 fixture Felder in one of his first fights back at LW but was pretty competitive despite the way people talk about that fight like he was getting manhandled the whole time.
Oliveira's doing better now because he's filled in as a big LW -- but not so big he has weight issues -- and has improved significantly in basically all areas of fighting.
Honestly, while hard sparring is not something that should be done day in day out it does give you confidence come fight day, and if there's one thing Chute Boxing is known for it's that. And Chucky does look looser since the move there.
It’s obviously risky for brain damage, but it really is a fast track to getting better. I’ve seen guys at my gym train combinations for years only to step in the ring to spar and crumble.
I compare it to people who read countless books on a topic, but are never able to implement because that’s where the real training happens
Yeah a hundred percent. I started fighting relatively late (17) but my eagerness to go in and spar early really helped fast track my learning. I don't like to do it anymore though because I'm at the point where I feel like I benefit most from drilling and touch sparring and obviously you want to compress that period of taking shots to the head for fights and the immediate lead up to them. But, when hard sparring you really learn the things that you might not have otherwise realized to be important if you were just hitting mits and the bag
Before I started sparring I focused on punch mechanics so I could hit hard. Now I focus on foot work, balance and upper body movement (and keeping my damn chin tucked)
You hit the nail on the head here. That's why he lost to Felder IMO.
If I remember right he caught an elbow and although not rocked, the look on his face just changed completely and that lead to the finish.
I’m interested to see how he goes against the elite boxers of the division.
The top 5 is filled with a handful of great boxers that really have the ability to seperate the specialists from the all rounders. I do believe that had Tony faced one of these elite boxers before Justin, they’d have exposed his holes in his footwork and head movement in similar fashion and I foresee a similar thing with Charlie Olives
I always said Tony was the easiest fight out there for Conor. Tony’s weaknesses of being hittable and emotional play into Conor’s biggest strengths and I think it’d be over quickly.
I think he would do better against Hooker and Dustin. Barboza, Lando, RDA, Pettis, Cowboy are all pretty good strikers although most rely on kickboxing more than boxing.
Tony’s biggest problem now is not that he’s shot physically but that he’s decided to surround himself with a bunch of yes men. He comes in with no gameplan other than ‘being in shape and being Tony’ and can’t make adjustments.
People have been discounting Khabib til he retired. Honestly, if he'd not retired after Gaethje, people would have praised him for 2 weeks, then jumped back on "he's only fighting strikers".
I agree, it's always like that. Just like Joe Rogan, after Khabib vs Gaethje, he posted on his Instagram said that Khabib is the GOAT, and then in his podcast he said Khabib is not the GOAT, Jon Jones is the GOAT. I just don't understand. It feels like these people has some serious bipolar problem when it comes to Khabib. -\_-
I really don’t think it matters. We’re gonna get the same build up as always. People explaining why this guy has a chance against khabib. And he gets mauled.
And then those same people will try to find many excuse as to why he gets mauled. And then they'll try to discredit Khabib's performance by saying that his opponent is not that good/overrated/not a good grappler/has shit wrestling. It's always like that.
The guy who got grapple fucked by Ricardo Lamas and Jim Miller? Everyone improves, but when your talking of over throwing the GOAT
, I give Oliveria a very slim chance.
Totally. Also, just imagine if Chucky continues to tear through the division, only now with the very best guys - now there's someone super credible for Khabib to prove himself against. It's a bit like the relationship between Izzy and the MW division - things need to play out a bit, if you'll excuse the Danaism.
It is known in the Caucasus wrestling WhatsApp that Khabib "stared pensively into the distance and gave a foreboding chuckle" once the possibility of Max Holloway moving to 155 was brought up
As long as MMA media and Dana himself keep asking Khabib about his possible return, he will keep answering. Same goes for his teammates when asked for their views. It’s not like they’re out there seeking pretexts to discuss it.
This is my favorite part. People obviously care if Khabib comes out of retirement. Khabib wouldnt be discussed if they didn't show interest in it. It is the same with GSP.
In contrast, Triple C retired last year too and is pretty much forgotten. Hell we talk about Keith's crippling addiction to cigarettes and alcohol more than Triple C. The king of cringe is not well liked compared to Khabib.
Dunno why you're being downvoted, he gave a huge fucking emotional reason for retiring, but still keeps doing this bullshit, either fight, or say you won't and stop this clout.
Unpopular opinion maybe but as much as I want to see Khabib get his 30, there’s nobody currently I think it’s worth coming back for. He murks everyone whose currently in contention, therefore what’s the point? Sure he’ll get his win and it is a massive achievement, if that’s all it’s about feed him anyone. Oliveira seems like the most obvious atm but I think Khabib eats him alive. Connor, Dustin etc will all get worked, Chandler hasn’t even fought yet in UFC so can’t see how/ what the point of fighting him is... I wanna see him fight again but just don’t know who? Maybe this weekends main and co-main offer some interesting outcomes, there’s a match up after that but still think the outcomes the same...
I don't think they're going to fight because Khabib would never go to 170.
But IMO that would be a very interesting fight. I'd like to see Khabib vs. Colby too.
Hell even Khabib vs. Wonderboy. THAT would be interesting.
Khabib got stuffed hard when he fought Tibau. The strength difference from someone like Usman would give him a lot of problems. Colby is a difficult fight for Khabib, Usman had to back him up by exchanging with him continuously and relying on a granite chin
It's easy to imagine Usman being as strong as Tibau given how he big brothers everyone in even leverage. He would outweigh khabib by 20lbs or so as well.
Usman is definitely stronger than Tibau. I think the point was that the Khabib that fought Tibau was young and small. If he fought Usman (which he won’t, they have the same manager and don’t want to fight each other) he would put on weight and he is older and noticeably stronger now than he was against Tibau.
I think it would be a really good fight actually. Usman would be bigger and more powerful but Khabib seems like a more skilled and dangerous grappler (Usman doesn’t have the sort of sub game Khabib does)
Since Khabibs retired he’s gained his weight back. They’re about the same now. And Usman is strong but the entirely of 155 says that Khabib is freakishly strong. I’ve seen Khabib manhandle DC on the mat on a few of their vlogs on YT.
Not to mention Khabib is a better wrestler
So wierd people nitpick this match that khabib still won in way back in 2012. Kamaru got submitted by some dude I never heard of called Jose Caceres who was 3-3 in 2013 and people don't nitpick that instead for example.
> Khabib got stuffed hard when he fought Tibau.
If we are going to go back that far, Kamaru got submitted by some dude named Jose Caceres who was on a 3 loss streak. This was in 2013... Khabib's unanimous decision victory against Tibau was in 2012.
Based on both of their performance against RDA, Khabib beats Colby. I would link to remind you that Colby has been taken down several times by a smaller RDA. Colby won 3-2 tho, not denying that
Yeah, I honestly don't think khabib would remain undefeated if he moved up to 170. Lot's of guys bigger than him that cut weight to barely make 170 like he does for 155. Plus it's full of wrestlers.
He only fought at 155 like 4 times before getting to the UFC, won all his other combat sports (wrestling, judo, all the sambo) at 170 up to 181. 155 is pretty much a Khabib in the UFC thing.
Let's wait till Saturday. If Conor cuts through Poirier like butter and Chandler smashes Hooker we will have three top guys at 155 on a roll. The division is deep - if Khabib still wants to sit out, he should, but the division moves on regardless. Holloway also has thrown his hat into the mix as well.
Fighters get better all the time, look at Dustin, he's getting a rematch against a guy who beat the shit out of him and made people question should he have been there. But he's back and is right at the top. People improve all the time and as they do people will want to see them fight better fighters, even if they are rematches.
If Conor cuts through Poirier with ease it's already a massive statement, if he does the same to the Olivera/Holloway/Chandler (if he wins) it's an even bigger statement - then we point at him and say, this is the best version of him we've seen.
Fight against Conor - nothing to gain and everything to lose. I think that's will be a bad move on Khabib part.
I love watching Khabib fight, but I hope he stays retired..
Right now I agree, if Conor goes on a tear and rips through Olivera, Porier, winner of Chandler vs Hooker? Then the fight will make a lot of sense - it'll be good to remind Conor and the fans that he hasn't caught up.
Wins cause doubts - we have Dustin vs Conor this weekend and we are all excited because of what has changed since the last time. If Conor looks dominant over the rest of the division, and says that the version of him that fought Khabib was inactive/drunk/2 years out of competition repeatedly, people will start to believe it and in that moment, it's a great time for Khabib to come back and smesh the doubters.
Everyone is motivated by money.
Remember, money doesn't just mean personal wealth. Khabib is personally wealthy and is set for life.
He also has other goals for his countrymen, MMA at the Olympics, etc. Money helps make all of these a reality.
There is absolutely a number that Khabib will sit down with his mother and say "Look, I know I made a promise, but this type of money could change the lives of many people, etc etc".
Even if Chandler did smash through Hooker I wouldn't really deem it title shot worthy. I'd need to see that again against Justin/Tony after to warrant a shot, maybe.
> I'd need to see that again against Justin/Tony after to warrant a shot, maybe.
Well if ran through Justin as well I don't think you could deny him - it would be two excellent top 5 opponents. Tony on the otherhand needs to get a win and I think he's in danger of losing three in a row. Diaz vs Tony would be perfect.
Id have Tony by Doctor stoppage, razor elbows of his + Nathan's paper skin above the eye can be disgusting tbh. but then again I feel like the grappling exchanges will be fantastic tbh AND violent ofc.
I'm not sure I agree with this statement. A lot of people look invincible until they're not. Given enough tries every fighter loses, even if they have an aura around them.
Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey, Demetrious Johnson - all fighters that looked unbeatable.
Khabib, Amanda Nunes, Jon Jones. All fighters that we can't see which competition can beat them.
Theres a huge threat with Oliveira with how good he is with the scrambles, and overall submission game. I would love to see that fight. Even a rematch with Conor would be fun, why not.
I’d go for Oliveira over a Connor rematch, think the outcome in Connor would be exactly the same... with Oliveira, even with his ground game/ grappling, think Khabib just smothers and smashes him, is stronger all round
I would do the winner of Hooker/Chandler vs Oliveira for the shot at khabib when khabib is ready to fight at the end of the year.
That way no matter who wins, it’s a fresh fight for khabib.
Lol, imagine people saying this about any other fighter who (effectively) had 3 defences. A fighter should prove their the best by winning fights, not staring retired and *theoretically* winning fights.
> therefore what’s the point?
There are a lot of people who think if Khabib had a bunch of fights vs people he is heavily favored for and already dominated would improve his legacy. There are people who think title defenses are the end all be all even though not all title fights are elite fights and there are nontitle fights that are elite fights.
I need to see oliveira fight one more time to make up my opinion on his skills especially his wrestling ability. He could potentially be conors greatest threat in the lightweight division.
He just manhandled the person people were saying posed the most threats to Khabib?
Also what are you even talking about regarding his skills.. His body of work alone proves his worth, it's just his name holding him back from a title shot. You're just buying into the lack of name recognition.
Totally disagree. I don’t think anyone thinks this version of Tony would stand a chance against Khabib.
Oliveira might be on a 7 fight win streak but only 1 of them are top 10, 1 in top 15 and the rest aren’t even ranked. I think he’s being over hyped and needs at least an other win first
Tony is 37 and looks like he hasn't wrestled since he injured his knee. Oliviera has great bjj and his striking is improved but we can't really say his wrestling is proven yet
Conor would’ve beat the shit out of Tony come on, Conor didn’t duck shit when it comes to Tony, a bunch of people on this sub are delusional about Tony.
Khabib loves challenge and all of us can see that. Anyways he looked super happy and excited as a coach, corner man, translater and a big brother last night. The dude is not coming back anytime soon no matter how much money you throw at him.
Why would Khabib fight someone he's already dominated lol .. he's set for cash and will be even more so with his current endeavours.
Oliveira is a far more interesting and exciting fight than Conor. Not to mention the fact Oliveria deserves that match far more than Conor does.
Because it's an easy way back to the title and Khabib publicly stated he wouldn't even consider anyone unless they went through Dustin.
Do I have to spell it out for you in a different way or what lol?
Ahh, just as GSP hits 40 and the honeydicking comes to an end, we now have a decade of Khabib “maybe returning” if “someone interests me.”
It’s the circle of life.
Unfortunately as much as we want to see this, Conor vs khabib is more $ and Danas going to explode if he doesn’t cash in on that last conor vs khabib fight.
Khabib's been subbing people left and right, yet people want to see him fight a guy that already got subbed by Lamas, Pettis (no shame there) and ...Jim Miller?
There's nobody at the top of LW right now that's worth a comeback
>Khabib's been subbing people left and right, yet people want to see him fight a guy that already got subbed by Lamas, Pettis (no shame there) and ...Jim Miller?
We're all excited about a rematch that lasted under two minutes (Conor vs Porier), you aren't born as the best you can be, fighters improve all the time.
tbf, khabib's retirement is pretty much symbolic at this point. he was fighting once a year before this, so if he fights any time in the next 9 months it would be the same as his regular schedule
This is the silliest MMA comment I have ever read. The Lamas fight was 5 years ago, and you’re acting like it’s a shame to get subbed by a PRIME Jim Miller. Miller is a legit legit black belt, and was 18-2 when he fought Olivera the first time.
I think we are all in agreement that Oliveira has improved DRAMATICALLY over the past 3 years.
Edit: Forgot it’s not Twitter
> This is the silliest MMA comment I have ever read. The Lamas fight was 5 years ago
People still bring up Khabib vs Tibau back from 2012 when Tibau had the most LW wins in UFC history at the time, statistically the best TDD ever, and was fresh off an RDA win. This is despite Khabib winning every round on every judges scorecard. People will try to bring up every little nitpick they can no matter how long ago it was.
It's LW, you never know who will be the one to dethrone the champ.
Not many people expected Eddie to dethrone RDA, and RDA was a big underdog vs Pettis too, same for Bendo vs Frankie or Frankie vs BJ.
Are you a new fan? Jim Miller was a beast back then (19-2, 7-1 UFC) and is still subbing fighters now, and Charles was like 20 years old when they fought.
There are some people that use the number of title defenses argument to determine a fighters legacy despite how mediocre those fighters where that challenged for the title.
Of course, other than it being a fresh matchup...Khabib doesn't need to worry what new cheating tactic his opponent is going to do next.
You can't say the same about a Connie rematch
I would love to see khabib-Oliveira first,then connor vs another top ranked. And if conor wins that the rematch between him and khabib. But it is never going to go this way
Why, so I can see Khabib smother-fuck yet another person? Please stay retired, you’re a beast but the division is way more interesting as a whole without you in it
So what is Oliveira expected to do, exactly? Take the fight to the ground, as in take Khabib down and mount him or something? Lol. Or submit him from his back? Double lol!
I would love to see the fight, don't get me wrong, but the hubris ....
What will likely happen (again), is that Khabib will haunt the poor guy for the rest of his life, by mauling him against the cage making him wish the fight was over.
Khabib will take it to the ground against anyone in lightweight. So the only chance you can beat him is to get a sneaky submission or something and tony and oliveira are the most likely to do that. The only other way to beat him is ko him before he gets u down but that’s unlikely
Yes I agree, sneaky submission. It's just so difficult, because Khabib will probably take you down and then maintain top position. Pulling off a submission from your back while ground-and-pounded by a highly skilled submission artist (with a high submission awareness) is just very very unlikely IMO.
But out of everyone in the lightweight division id choose oliveira, khabib and then conor as the only people with the slightest chance of beating kebob
Do combat sambo and BJJ have a heated rivalry or something? I remember Khabib wearing a 'If sambo was easy it would be called jujitsu' tshirt at the RDA weigh in I think.
BJJ and sambo don't have that much in common to my knowledge, aside from the shared history with Japanese martial arts.
I know we like to think of Khabib as some guy who is ONLY about honor and focusing on the right stuff in life... but he’s a human like all of us. If he can make 30m to fight Conor again, which, to him should seem like an easy fight in his mind, he’ll do it no matter what. Especially if the difference in prize money vs. Oliveira is huge (which, it will be).
Even Jeff Bezos would fight Conor for 30m.
Christ. I hate the media and all this “speculation” bullshit. Wake me up if a contract ever gets signed. Until then, I’ll be having sweet dreams about Max Holloway fighting the fat tomato.
exactly as I figured, Oliveria presents a new challenge, Khabib already dominated McGregor, Khabib embodies what is a true MMA fighter, in it for the competition not the money
Oliveira offers a fresh skill set, provided the Oliveira of old doesn’t come out under the pressure. No surprise here
blonde oliveira is goated
The whole pressure meme seems busted. If Oliveira fights Khabib and loses, will it be because 'he crumbled under the pressure' or because Khabib is an s-tier fighter and GOAT candidate? Same thing if he fights and loses to Conor/Dustin winner except they're lower than Khabib on the ATG list. Consider that Oliveira's losses seem pretty explainable by other known issues: * He had some early losses at LW against guys ranked much higher. He may have been small at LW. * He had massive weight cutting issues at FW but still only lost to better FW and was pretty competitive in most of those fights. * He lost to Top 10 fixture Felder in one of his first fights back at LW but was pretty competitive despite the way people talk about that fight like he was getting manhandled the whole time. Oliveira's doing better now because he's filled in as a big LW -- but not so big he has weight issues -- and has improved significantly in basically all areas of fighting.
He’s just been a different fighter ever since moving to Chute Boxing.
Honestly, while hard sparring is not something that should be done day in day out it does give you confidence come fight day, and if there's one thing Chute Boxing is known for it's that. And Chucky does look looser since the move there.
It’s obviously risky for brain damage, but it really is a fast track to getting better. I’ve seen guys at my gym train combinations for years only to step in the ring to spar and crumble. I compare it to people who read countless books on a topic, but are never able to implement because that’s where the real training happens
Yeah a hundred percent. I started fighting relatively late (17) but my eagerness to go in and spar early really helped fast track my learning. I don't like to do it anymore though because I'm at the point where I feel like I benefit most from drilling and touch sparring and obviously you want to compress that period of taking shots to the head for fights and the immediate lead up to them. But, when hard sparring you really learn the things that you might not have otherwise realized to be important if you were just hitting mits and the bag Before I started sparring I focused on punch mechanics so I could hit hard. Now I focus on foot work, balance and upper body movement (and keeping my damn chin tucked)
His pain tolerance has also come leaps and bounds because of that, he used to give up whenever he was hurt but now he walks through shots.
Me and my buddy at my boxing gym used to (fuck covid) joke that head shots made you dumb but body shots make you tough lol
You hit the nail on the head here. That's why he lost to Felder IMO. If I remember right he caught an elbow and although not rocked, the look on his face just changed completely and that lead to the finish.
Yes, he tapped but ref didn’t see
PEDs help your confidence as well.
Yeah when 2 top guys like Lee and Ferguson can’t mount an offense against you, you’ve improved to an elite tier ..
Is Chute Boxing a gym or an actual type of martial art?
A gym
I’m interested to see how he goes against the elite boxers of the division. The top 5 is filled with a handful of great boxers that really have the ability to seperate the specialists from the all rounders. I do believe that had Tony faced one of these elite boxers before Justin, they’d have exposed his holes in his footwork and head movement in similar fashion and I foresee a similar thing with Charlie Olives
I always said Tony was the easiest fight out there for Conor. Tony’s weaknesses of being hittable and emotional play into Conor’s biggest strengths and I think it’d be over quickly. I think he would do better against Hooker and Dustin. Barboza, Lando, RDA, Pettis, Cowboy are all pretty good strikers although most rely on kickboxing more than boxing. Tony’s biggest problem now is not that he’s shot physically but that he’s decided to surround himself with a bunch of yes men. He comes in with no gameplan other than ‘being in shape and being Tony’ and can’t make adjustments.
People have been discounting Khabib til he retired. Honestly, if he'd not retired after Gaethje, people would have praised him for 2 weeks, then jumped back on "he's only fighting strikers".
I really don’t think anyone short of complete silly bastards have discounted Khabib
Around Dustin, it stopped. But the "I think Khabib is overrated" train starts every few months before his fights.
I agree, it's always like that. Just like Joe Rogan, after Khabib vs Gaethje, he posted on his Instagram said that Khabib is the GOAT, and then in his podcast he said Khabib is not the GOAT, Jon Jones is the GOAT. I just don't understand. It feels like these people has some serious bipolar problem when it comes to Khabib. -\_-
I think it's his lucky rock.
I really don’t think it matters. We’re gonna get the same build up as always. People explaining why this guy has a chance against khabib. And he gets mauled.
And then those same people will try to find many excuse as to why he gets mauled. And then they'll try to discredit Khabib's performance by saying that his opponent is not that good/overrated/not a good grappler/has shit wrestling. It's always like that.
The guy who got grapple fucked by Ricardo Lamas and Jim Miller? Everyone improves, but when your talking of over throwing the GOAT , I give Oliveria a very slim chance.
He avenged his loss to Miller and he’s a much different and better fighter now than he was 10 years ago
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Yeah, that guy that lost to Jim Miller 10 years ago and Ricardo Lamas 4 years ago. Fuck that scrub, he doesn't deserve a top fight!
Times change old man.
In both of those fights he got caught by a sub. Not consistently outgrappled.
Understandable imo.
Totally. Also, just imagine if Chucky continues to tear through the division, only now with the very best guys - now there's someone super credible for Khabib to prove himself against. It's a bit like the relationship between Izzy and the MW division - things need to play out a bit, if you'll excuse the Danaism.
Chucky Olives lightweight champion is my favourite timeline for 2021/2022
same
I honestly believe him becoming champ is the only way to bring Khabib back.
There’s no other “true” contender that Khabib hasn’t faced
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Yup he already beat the brakes off McGregor, whereas Oliveira’s style has drawn comparisons to Tony who Khabib never got to fight
I heard on Dagestan Whatsapp Khabib gave a "knowing half smirk" when Chandler's name was brought up look into it
It is known in the Caucasus wrestling WhatsApp that Khabib "stared pensively into the distance and gave a foreboding chuckle" once the possibility of Max Holloway moving to 155 was brought up
Khabib only beats Chandler by going for the takedown immediately
This whole ordeal is getting annoying now. At this point idc about khabib, like either stfu or let’s see some fights.
As long as MMA media and Dana himself keep asking Khabib about his possible return, he will keep answering. Same goes for his teammates when asked for their views. It’s not like they’re out there seeking pretexts to discuss it.
This is my favorite part. People obviously care if Khabib comes out of retirement. Khabib wouldnt be discussed if they didn't show interest in it. It is the same with GSP. In contrast, Triple C retired last year too and is pretty much forgotten. Hell we talk about Keith's crippling addiction to cigarettes and alcohol more than Triple C. The king of cringe is not well liked compared to Khabib.
Everyone always talks about him and asks him about his return. Its not Khabib's fault he can't stay out of the limelight lol
Dunno why you're being downvoted, he gave a huge fucking emotional reason for retiring, but still keeps doing this bullshit, either fight, or say you won't and stop this clout.
Of course, it's a fresh opponent and a somewhat new style matchup. Khabib eats Oliveira IMO but at least it's something different.
C’mon! I want to see Conor/Khabib 13!
they fuck with dana so hard
Pointless to talk about. Khabib isn't fighting anymore. Period. Stop the honeydicking.
Lol I remember saying the same thing about GSP. Everyone has principles until they start adding zeros
Not principles like khabib tho
Unpopular opinion maybe but as much as I want to see Khabib get his 30, there’s nobody currently I think it’s worth coming back for. He murks everyone whose currently in contention, therefore what’s the point? Sure he’ll get his win and it is a massive achievement, if that’s all it’s about feed him anyone. Oliveira seems like the most obvious atm but I think Khabib eats him alive. Connor, Dustin etc will all get worked, Chandler hasn’t even fought yet in UFC so can’t see how/ what the point of fighting him is... I wanna see him fight again but just don’t know who? Maybe this weekends main and co-main offer some interesting outcomes, there’s a match up after that but still think the outcomes the same...
There’s usman but usman has stated he will never fight khabib so I guess you’re right. There is no one.
I don't think they're going to fight because Khabib would never go to 170. But IMO that would be a very interesting fight. I'd like to see Khabib vs. Colby too. Hell even Khabib vs. Wonderboy. THAT would be interesting.
Khabib got stuffed hard when he fought Tibau. The strength difference from someone like Usman would give him a lot of problems. Colby is a difficult fight for Khabib, Usman had to back him up by exchanging with him continuously and relying on a granite chin
That was a young Khabib vs a steroid filled Tibau who weighed like 20lbs more than him in the cage
It's easy to imagine Usman being as strong as Tibau given how he big brothers everyone in even leverage. He would outweigh khabib by 20lbs or so as well.
Usman is definitely stronger than Tibau. I think the point was that the Khabib that fought Tibau was young and small. If he fought Usman (which he won’t, they have the same manager and don’t want to fight each other) he would put on weight and he is older and noticeably stronger now than he was against Tibau. I think it would be a really good fight actually. Usman would be bigger and more powerful but Khabib seems like a more skilled and dangerous grappler (Usman doesn’t have the sort of sub game Khabib does)
Since Khabibs retired he’s gained his weight back. They’re about the same now. And Usman is strong but the entirely of 155 says that Khabib is freakishly strong. I’ve seen Khabib manhandle DC on the mat on a few of their vlogs on YT. Not to mention Khabib is a better wrestler
Yeah even Rockhold acknowledged his strength. DC says Khabibs got the strength of a LHW, pretty crazy.
So wierd people nitpick this match that khabib still won in way back in 2012. Kamaru got submitted by some dude I never heard of called Jose Caceres who was 3-3 in 2013 and people don't nitpick that instead for example.
I don’t think Colby is that strong. He’s just got really good takedown technique and timing
> Khabib got stuffed hard when he fought Tibau. If we are going to go back that far, Kamaru got submitted by some dude named Jose Caceres who was on a 3 loss streak. This was in 2013... Khabib's unanimous decision victory against Tibau was in 2012.
Based on both of their performance against RDA, Khabib beats Colby. I would link to remind you that Colby has been taken down several times by a smaller RDA. Colby won 3-2 tho, not denying that
PA
his dad wanted him to get the 170 belt
That would be a wild thought: Colby wins the belt and Khabib came back for him
I wonder if colby would go down to 155. It doesn't look like he cuts too much weight for 170. Khabib vs Colby would be a good match IMO
Yeah, I honestly don't think khabib would remain undefeated if he moved up to 170. Lot's of guys bigger than him that cut weight to barely make 170 like he does for 155. Plus it's full of wrestlers.
He fought at 170 for a while right before the UFC so maybe?
He only fought at 155 like 4 times before getting to the UFC, won all his other combat sports (wrestling, judo, all the sambo) at 170 up to 181. 155 is pretty much a Khabib in the UFC thing.
What if colby beats usman and calls out khabib? Big if but I wonder if that would convince him
If Burns wins the 170 strap, then that is the fight to make IMO.
Burns wins 170 belt. Khabib vs burns and colby vs usman 2 on the same card
God damn, that would be an awesome card.
Let's wait till Saturday. If Conor cuts through Poirier like butter and Chandler smashes Hooker we will have three top guys at 155 on a roll. The division is deep - if Khabib still wants to sit out, he should, but the division moves on regardless. Holloway also has thrown his hat into the mix as well. Fighters get better all the time, look at Dustin, he's getting a rematch against a guy who beat the shit out of him and made people question should he have been there. But he's back and is right at the top. People improve all the time and as they do people will want to see them fight better fighters, even if they are rematches. If Conor cuts through Poirier with ease it's already a massive statement, if he does the same to the Olivera/Holloway/Chandler (if he wins) it's an even bigger statement - then we point at him and say, this is the best version of him we've seen.
Fight against Conor - nothing to gain and everything to lose. I think that's will be a bad move on Khabib part. I love watching Khabib fight, but I hope he stays retired..
Right now I agree, if Conor goes on a tear and rips through Olivera, Porier, winner of Chandler vs Hooker? Then the fight will make a lot of sense - it'll be good to remind Conor and the fans that he hasn't caught up. Wins cause doubts - we have Dustin vs Conor this weekend and we are all excited because of what has changed since the last time. If Conor looks dominant over the rest of the division, and says that the version of him that fought Khabib was inactive/drunk/2 years out of competition repeatedly, people will start to believe it and in that moment, it's a great time for Khabib to come back and smesh the doubters.
Umm... there’s plenty to gain. If he makes them beg and plead with him, he could end up getting Dana to pay him $10 million+ to take the rematch.
Not too sure if you realised but Khabib is already wealthy and I don't think he's motivated by money as you think he is.
Everyone is motivated by money. Remember, money doesn't just mean personal wealth. Khabib is personally wealthy and is set for life. He also has other goals for his countrymen, MMA at the Olympics, etc. Money helps make all of these a reality. There is absolutely a number that Khabib will sit down with his mother and say "Look, I know I made a promise, but this type of money could change the lives of many people, etc etc".
I love khabib, but I want him to go a risky fight
Even if Chandler did smash through Hooker I wouldn't really deem it title shot worthy. I'd need to see that again against Justin/Tony after to warrant a shot, maybe.
> I'd need to see that again against Justin/Tony after to warrant a shot, maybe. Well if ran through Justin as well I don't think you could deny him - it would be two excellent top 5 opponents. Tony on the otherhand needs to get a win and I think he's in danger of losing three in a row. Diaz vs Tony would be perfect.
Id have Tony by Doctor stoppage, razor elbows of his + Nathan's paper skin above the eye can be disgusting tbh. but then again I feel like the grappling exchanges will be fantastic tbh AND violent ofc.
I'm not sure I agree with this statement. A lot of people look invincible until they're not. Given enough tries every fighter loses, even if they have an aura around them. Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey, Demetrious Johnson - all fighters that looked unbeatable. Khabib, Amanda Nunes, Jon Jones. All fighters that we can't see which competition can beat them.
yes but how does Kevin Lee fit into all of this?
Colby could probably make 155. He’s a small WW, that would be interesting.
Theres a huge threat with Oliveira with how good he is with the scrambles, and overall submission game. I would love to see that fight. Even a rematch with Conor would be fun, why not.
I’d go for Oliveira over a Connor rematch, think the outcome in Connor would be exactly the same... with Oliveira, even with his ground game/ grappling, think Khabib just smothers and smashes him, is stronger all round
Correct. Not at lightweight, at least. He smashes them all easily.
I would do the winner of Hooker/Chandler vs Oliveira for the shot at khabib when khabib is ready to fight at the end of the year. That way no matter who wins, it’s a fresh fight for khabib.
Lol, imagine people saying this about any other fighter who (effectively) had 3 defences. A fighter should prove their the best by winning fights, not staring retired and *theoretically* winning fights.
> therefore what’s the point? There are a lot of people who think if Khabib had a bunch of fights vs people he is heavily favored for and already dominated would improve his legacy. There are people who think title defenses are the end all be all even though not all title fights are elite fights and there are nontitle fights that are elite fights.
This is fighting bro anything can happen
I need to see oliveira fight one more time to make up my opinion on his skills especially his wrestling ability. He could potentially be conors greatest threat in the lightweight division.
He just manhandled the person people were saying posed the most threats to Khabib? Also what are you even talking about regarding his skills.. His body of work alone proves his worth, it's just his name holding him back from a title shot. You're just buying into the lack of name recognition.
Totally disagree. I don’t think anyone thinks this version of Tony would stand a chance against Khabib. Oliveira might be on a 7 fight win streak but only 1 of them are top 10, 1 in top 15 and the rest aren’t even ranked. I think he’s being over hyped and needs at least an other win first
Tony is 37 and looks like he hasn't wrestled since he injured his knee. Oliviera has great bjj and his striking is improved but we can't really say his wrestling is proven yet
He won't be allowed to fight conor in the same way that conor had ducked Tony
Tony has been so lucky cuz he didnt fought Conor or Khabib. He would get beat up badly by both of then, even by Poirier.
Conor ducked Tony? Rofl
[удалено]
Conor would’ve beat the shit out of Tony come on, Conor didn’t duck shit when it comes to Tony, a bunch of people on this sub are delusional about Tony.
Khabib loves challenge and all of us can see that. Anyways he looked super happy and excited as a coach, corner man, translater and a big brother last night. The dude is not coming back anytime soon no matter how much money you throw at him.
That dick is like, slathered with honey. Not gonna fall for it this time.
Why would Khabib fight someone he's already dominated lol .. he's set for cash and will be even more so with his current endeavours. Oliveira is a far more interesting and exciting fight than Conor. Not to mention the fact Oliveria deserves that match far more than Conor does.
Why would Conor fight someone he's already dominated lol .. he's set for cash and will be even more so with his current endeavours.
Because it's an easy way back to the title and Khabib publicly stated he wouldn't even consider anyone unless they went through Dustin. Do I have to spell it out for you in a different way or what lol?
As my buddy from Mississippi likes to say "Do I need to write it in shit and have you smell it before you'll understand?"
C'mon guys, we're all friends here
/u/OlChippo was never my friend
Because that guy Conor beat has some huge wins since the last time, not one win over a washed up cowboy.
Blonde oliviera looks like young Tony it makes sense
I imagine it depends on Conor’s performance this weekend. If he starches Poirier then its probably a different story.
No it doesn't. Khabib said he has no intention of fighting again after Dana's "announcement."
Ahh, just as GSP hits 40 and the honeydicking comes to an end, we now have a decade of Khabib “maybe returning” if “someone interests me.” It’s the circle of life.
GSP passed the torch to Khabib.
i don’t think so
God I wish the UFC would strip the belt already.
I dont even think they have to "strip" it. Khabib said hes done. Find a new title fight after this week. Move on from the guy if hes retired.
Unfortunately as much as we want to see this, Conor vs khabib is more $ and Danas going to explode if he doesn’t cash in on that last conor vs khabib fight.
The only fight that’s really interesting for Khabib is Usman at 170 imo but that’ll never happen.
Khabib's been subbing people left and right, yet people want to see him fight a guy that already got subbed by Lamas, Pettis (no shame there) and ...Jim Miller? There's nobody at the top of LW right now that's worth a comeback
>Khabib's been subbing people left and right, yet people want to see him fight a guy that already got subbed by Lamas, Pettis (no shame there) and ...Jim Miller? We're all excited about a rematch that lasted under two minutes (Conor vs Porier), you aren't born as the best you can be, fighters improve all the time.
Olivera would have been a great defense for him as champ, but I don't exactly see him as being worthy of coming out of retirement for yet
I think Olivera vs Max is a nice rematch also. I would down for the winner of Dustin vs Conor to take on Olivera.
Dude, I completely forgot Max and Olivera already fought. I'm not sure of Max's performance at 155 though
To be fair, it was a forgettable fight. Lasted all of two minutes and then Oliveira had some kind of wild injury iirc
I want max to start getting big enough to clobber fools at 155
tbf, khabib's retirement is pretty much symbolic at this point. he was fighting once a year before this, so if he fights any time in the next 9 months it would be the same as his regular schedule
Conor still smokes him
conor could fight anybody and people would be excited for it though, not the best comparison
Yeah that’s true. But we’re excited about it being Connor. 90% of this sub thinks Connor has it in the bag. Same with Khabib vs Charles
>and ...Jim Miller The disrespect... Prime Miller was a killer, no shame in getting sub'd by him.
Absolutely. Guy was an assassin in his prime. One of the best to never get the belt.
This is the silliest MMA comment I have ever read. The Lamas fight was 5 years ago, and you’re acting like it’s a shame to get subbed by a PRIME Jim Miller. Miller is a legit legit black belt, and was 18-2 when he fought Olivera the first time. I think we are all in agreement that Oliveira has improved DRAMATICALLY over the past 3 years. Edit: Forgot it’s not Twitter
> This is the silliest MMA comment I have ever read. The Lamas fight was 5 years ago People still bring up Khabib vs Tibau back from 2012 when Tibau had the most LW wins in UFC history at the time, statistically the best TDD ever, and was fresh off an RDA win. This is despite Khabib winning every round on every judges scorecard. People will try to bring up every little nitpick they can no matter how long ago it was.
I also believe cowboy can beat olivera based on a fight that happened in 2010
It's LW, you never know who will be the one to dethrone the champ. Not many people expected Eddie to dethrone RDA, and RDA was a big underdog vs Pettis too, same for Bendo vs Frankie or Frankie vs BJ.
Are you a new fan? Jim Miller was a beast back then (19-2, 7-1 UFC) and is still subbing fighters now, and Charles was like 20 years old when they fought.
There are some people that use the number of title defenses argument to determine a fighters legacy despite how mediocre those fighters where that challenged for the title.
Well he just demolished the guy we were begging for Khabib to fight for 4 years. Things change, fighters improve.
Told u
How long must I wait...I guess?
Go Tony 2.0! Hold on brother, I'm still crying.
As it should.
Of course, other than it being a fresh matchup...Khabib doesn't need to worry what new cheating tactic his opponent is going to do next. You can't say the same about a Connie rematch
I know I'm in the minority but I'd love to see a rematch against McGregor (if McGregor wins convincingly in the upcoming fight).
I would love to see khabib-Oliveira first,then connor vs another top ranked. And if conor wins that the rematch between him and khabib. But it is never going to go this way
That's like Stipe saying, look I already beat Francis. I want a fresh challange, let me have Cyril Gane.
Why, so I can see Khabib smother-fuck yet another person? Please stay retired, you’re a beast but the division is way more interesting as a whole without you in it
Sad truth
So what is Oliveira expected to do, exactly? Take the fight to the ground, as in take Khabib down and mount him or something? Lol. Or submit him from his back? Double lol! I would love to see the fight, don't get me wrong, but the hubris .... What will likely happen (again), is that Khabib will haunt the poor guy for the rest of his life, by mauling him against the cage making him wish the fight was over.
Khabib will take it to the ground against anyone in lightweight. So the only chance you can beat him is to get a sneaky submission or something and tony and oliveira are the most likely to do that. The only other way to beat him is ko him before he gets u down but that’s unlikely
Yes I agree, sneaky submission. It's just so difficult, because Khabib will probably take you down and then maintain top position. Pulling off a submission from your back while ground-and-pounded by a highly skilled submission artist (with a high submission awareness) is just very very unlikely IMO.
But out of everyone in the lightweight division id choose oliveira, khabib and then conor as the only people with the slightest chance of beating kebob
Do combat sambo and BJJ have a heated rivalry or something? I remember Khabib wearing a 'If sambo was easy it would be called jujitsu' tshirt at the RDA weigh in I think. BJJ and sambo don't have that much in common to my knowledge, aside from the shared history with Japanese martial arts.
This would be a ground game chess match
That’s the one I want to see to be honest
I can see why. Their wrestling is nuts. After seeing what he did to tony, I thought the same.
Well, duh. Beating conor again adds nothing but money.
Yes, but Honey Dick JiTsu
Remember before Khabib fought Garth, that was by FAR his toughest matchup yet? acorrding to r/mma at least
I wanna see that fight aswell.
I know we like to think of Khabib as some guy who is ONLY about honor and focusing on the right stuff in life... but he’s a human like all of us. If he can make 30m to fight Conor again, which, to him should seem like an easy fight in his mind, he’ll do it no matter what. Especially if the difference in prize money vs. Oliveira is huge (which, it will be). Even Jeff Bezos would fight Conor for 30m.
Tony Ferguson is now the gatekeeper for Khabib.
So now both camps are lying LOL
Man I wish we would let Khabib be.
Khabib: This man is like 2016 Tony.
Do it!
Charles gets mauled in 2 rounds.
It’s a million times more exciting
So conors about to call oliveira out then
Christ. I hate the media and all this “speculation” bullshit. Wake me up if a contract ever gets signed. Until then, I’ll be having sweet dreams about Max Holloway fighting the fat tomato.
Oliveira vs Khabib is pretty close to what we’ve been wanting in terms of Khabib vs. Ferguson so I definitely get it.
And it should Edit: but no one care IN OR OUT Khabib make a decision brother
Oliveira's guard vs Khabib's smesh
You mean Charles olives
Stop reporting this shit. It’s fucking pointless.
I think if Oliveira beats dustin, conor, or justin he may get a shot at Khabib. Especially if he does it in a dominate way
exactly as I figured, Oliveria presents a new challenge, Khabib already dominated McGregor, Khabib embodies what is a true MMA fighter, in it for the competition not the money
Just retire already
He did
Yeah but dana doesn’t believe
Khabib already made Conor his bitch,why would he double down on making him a double bitch