How would Khabib do at a grappling comp?

And I'm talking about Khabib as is - no training camp before. Lets say he got put into this coming ADCC for example how would he do? His weight division (which I would assume he competes either at 168.5 or 181.5 in a grappling contest) and absolute as well. 

 

Would he channel his inner bear wrestling prowress and steamroll his weight class? 

Wouldn't steamroll anything but he would do really well and hang with anyone. It's possible he gets the takedown and they can't sweep him aswell. Adcc ruleset would favor khabibs style. 

I don't think he would win a match at ADCC. Would dominate lover level comps though. 

Sambo > BJJ

Sajbjj -

I don't think he would win a match at ADCC. Would dominate lover level comps though. 

Of course he can.  17 year old Nicky Ryan could.  It depends who he faces.  He's a life long grappler.  I say he could hang with anyone in his division and probably medal 

There is footage of him at NAGA out there from way back when when he used to train in NJ.

Sajbjj -

I don't think he would win a match at ADCC. Would dominate lover level comps though. 

Of course he could win a match. He would be a more complete version of Rustam Chsiev, who medaled using mostly pure wrestling.

 

For ADCC he might hang but doubt he could win more than one match.  Was thinking the likes of JT Torres would Dismantle him but remember Rory Mac went the distance with JT at Metamoris.  The biggest danger would be getting heel hooked but a Garry Tonon.  Don't think anybody takes him down but don't see him passing everyone's guard either

Well

Easters -

For ADCC he might hang but doubt he could win more than one match.  Was thinking the likes of JT Torres would Dismantle him but remember Rory Mac went the distance with JT at Metamoris.  The biggest danger would be getting heel hooked but a Garry Tonon.  Don't think anybody takes him down but don't see him passing everyone's guard either

JT is a monster. There are levels to this shit. 

Uhtred Ragnarson -
Easters -

For ADCC he might hang but doubt he could win more than one match.  Was thinking the likes of JT Torres would Dismantle him but remember Rory Mac went the distance with JT at Metamoris.  The biggest danger would be getting heel hooked but a Garry Tonon.  Don't think anybody takes him down but don't see him passing everyone's guard either

JT is a monster. There are levels to this shit. 

100%.  That's why it's impressive Rory didn't get tapped

Triple_B -
Sajbjj -

I don't think he would win a match at ADCC. Would dominate lover level comps though. 

Of course he could win a match. He would be a more complete version of Rustam Chsiev, who medaled using mostly pure wrestling.

 

I'm pretty sure he won a match on a refs decision then got submitted by a 50 year old Xande in his next match. 

Sajbjj -
Triple_B -
Sajbjj -

I don't think he would win a match at ADCC. Would dominate lover level comps though. 

Of course he could win a match. He would be a more complete version of Rustam Chsiev, who medaled using mostly pure wrestling.

 

I'm pretty sure he won a match on a refs decision then got submitted by a 50 year old Xande in his next match. 

He's been in ADCC more than once. He won bronze in 2015.

And to OP's question, he would do very well. Wrestlers have a huge advantage at ADCC because of the OT rules - you get a negative point for pulling guard in overtime and once the points start at five minutes into the match. That means someone can pull guard on him at the beginning of the match, but all he has to do is avoid getting swept for 10 minutes and then he's basically got a guaranteed victory. 

Orlando Sanchez used this strategy to win ADCC recently. He won all his matches but didn't score a single point. 

However, he's got some absolute monsters in his weight class (-77 kg). The strategy that would be used against him would be to try to force leg entanglements from the bottom, and then attack leglocks and either submit or come up on top for 2 points. 

That said, if he competed in a high level gi comp he'd get smoked. He would have a very poor chance of reaching quarter finals in the mundials ornthe pan ams. No penalties for guard pulling and advantage points would definitely work against him. 

pbody -
Sajbjj -
Triple_B -
Sajbjj -

I don't think he would win a match at ADCC. Would dominate lover level comps though. 

Of course he could win a match. He would be a more complete version of Rustam Chsiev, who medaled using mostly pure wrestling.

 

I'm pretty sure he won a match on a refs decision then got submitted by a 50 year old Xande in his next match. 

He's been in ADCC more than once. He won bronze in 2015.

And to OP's question, he would do very well. Wrestlers have a huge advantage at ADCC because of the OT rules - you get a negative point for pulling guard in overtime and once the points start at five minutes into the match. That means someone can pull guard on him at the beginning of the match, but all he has to do is avoid getting swept for 10 minutes and then he's basically got a guaranteed victory. 

Orlando Sanchez used this strategy to win ADCC recently. He won all his matches but didn't score a single point. 

However, he's got some absolute monsters in his weight class (-77 kg). The strategy that would be used against him would be to try to force leg entanglements from the bottom, and then attack leglocks and either submit or come up on top for 2 points. 

That said, if he competed in a high level gi comp he'd get smoked. He would have a very poor chance of reaching quarter finals in the mundials ornthe pan ams. No penalties for guard pulling and advantage points would definitely work against him. 

Orlando Sanchez is a black belt in the gi  though and has competed in the gi since he was a blue belt. I wouldn't label him as just a pure wrestler. 

 

ADCC's ruleset definitely suits him the most, I still don't think he medals though at his weight imo

 

Why does everyone think khabib doesn't know what a heel hook is or the entires? Sambo is literally the most complete leg locking martial art on Earth. They don't even get to heel hooks like top level bjj don't even get to arm barson each other. It's learned how to avoid from the beginning

His grappling is better suited for mma. I don't think he'd do poorly in ADCC but he wouldn't be anything special. Modern grappling competitions are about 90% bullshit and purely a rules game and a sport. Having the best grappling for fighting is far more impressive to me than winning matches like the aforementioned Orlando Sanchez did. I mean, what did he actually win? Can you imagine showing those matches to your grandkids and acting like that was a fight lol? 

1 Like
James Franco -

Why does everyone think khabib doesn't know what a heel hook is or the entires? Sambo is literally the most complete leg locking martial art on Earth. They don't even get to heel hooks like top level bjj don't even get to arm barson each other. It's learned how to avoid from the beginning

All twisting leg locks are illegal in Sambo and most matches are won on points, so no most of them aren't experts at avoiding heel hooks. In addition to that there is limited time given on the ground, so you can "avoid" submissions by simply holding grips or turtling up for a 5-10 secs until the ref restarts the match. You can also score pins from inside your opponents guard and break any submission by standing up even if it's locked in, so leg locking from bottom position isn't as high percentage.

The type of leg locks some sambo practioners excel at wouldn't win many ADCC matches either. Turning your opponent for a straight ankle lock from top turtle position, entries from standing, etc. are great in sambo because of pins and limited ground time, but can be very risky moves in a no gi grappling rule set. Modern non-IBJJF no gi grapplers are much better at leg locks than the average sambist and even a jiu-jitsu guy that doesn't know much about leg locks would be ok thanks to better fundamentals when it comes to positioning and guard play on the ground. 

A. ton of his game is reliant on the cage.  He would do well but Khabib is a complete mixed martial artist, a Sambo world champ, and not just a grappling wizard.  Marcelo is 0-1 in MMA but considered the p4p GOAT BJJ artist..

1 Like

Didn't he win the 2012 naga welterweight no gi tournament...Hes only gotten better so I think he would do ok