To the wrestling Experts of Sherdog, Who's wrestling Is better between Lee and Khabib?

[Pakman]

Lee has more traditional western wrestling. Double legs, etc.

Khabib has more of a hybrid style - Like a combo of Sambo and wrestling. He uses a lot more trips and throws.

As to whose is better, as of now at 26-0 and never having lost a round, I will have to go with Khabib.


That said, Kevin may be the physically strongest guy at 155, and his wrestling is legit, so I would watch the hell out of him vs Khabib.

Good assessment of the fight. IT would be a much more competitive fight than people think. Even Eddie is a tough fight for Khabib. People don’t realize styles make fights.

 

[Rebel_LioN]

The average person probably doesn't know that Lee's wrestling Is very very good, he Is no joke In that department. Had he continued wrestling In College, would've accomplished a lot.

That said, I was just wondering where his wrestling ranks with Khabib.

I understand wrestling but It's not my field of expertise, was just curious If brighter minds than myself In that regard could elaborate.

Show me the better MMA Fighter, and i will show you who the better wrestler is here.

 

[GreatSaintGuillotine]

just wrestling

grappling is a whole other discussion

It depends on what you value in wrestling. They're very different types of wrestlers.

Lee has very clean blast doubles and smooth TDs in general. He tends to get stuffed a lot (sometimes going 1 for 7) but his transitions and top control are very very solid and effective. He doesn't chain stuff together very well and his clinch game is nothing special but that hasn't been much of an issue for him.

Khabib is a clear cut chain wrestler. His doubles are nothing special. His singles are solid. BUT the way he smoothly chains everything together is on a completely different level. He is an incredibly effective chain wrestler. His scrambles and TDD have also proven to be very good.

In terms of pure wrestling it's close. Khabib is better defensively from what I have seen. Khabib imo is also better offensively BUT a lot of that is judo/sambo/pakration.

So I'd say it's close but it would be unfair to say Khabib because so much of what he does is a hybrid style.

 

[bl0b]

I know where they stand In that sense.

It's just the deeper intricate details of how their wrestling matches up on a technical level that I'm curious about.

ON A TECHNICAL LEVEL WHO FUCKING CARES, TAKE A HIKE DWEEB. KHABIB WOULD PUT THIS KID ON HIS BACK, AND IT'S REALLY SIMPLE AS THAT.

Just kidding, relax. You just seem like a dweeb is all.

 

[Bumblebeef]

Lee is a explosive wrestler but not a durable wrestler that can grind. i dont see a point that he should be better than khabib. the single leg takedown on AI was high level shit. Khabibs takedowns are much better and he has a bigger arsenal than lee.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Lee might have the advantage on the wrestling mat. But Khabib seems to be better in the octagon. But it would be an interesting match-up in the future.

 

[DrunkMonkMeth]

No offence but I'm asking people who genuinely understand wrestling on a technical level

not just random opinions

From what I know, I don't believe that to be true. I actually feel Kevin Lee is the better wrestler, I'm just curious what other people think.

Ur asking on sherdog so no youre not. Lol

 

[agibmxmma]

The average person probably doesn't know that Lee's wrestling Is very very good, he Is no joke In that department. Had he continued wrestling In College, would've accomplished a lot.

That said, I was just wondering where his wrestling ranks with Khabib.

I understand wrestling but It's not my field of expertise, was just curious If brighter minds than myself In that regard could elaborate.

Khabib is a far better wrestler and has some very technical transitions within the sequence of things he does when using his wrestling. Khabib also mixes various styles of wrestling together very well, while adding a Sambo aspect into the skill set. Khabib is probably the best catch wrestler at 155 beside Gillespie. While Kevin is just a decent folk style wrestler who hasn't shown much beside a blast double, and limited top control. Kevin is strong it appears, but gets put out of position easily thus far when facing other wrestlers and grapplers.. while Khabib has shown strength and control in every victory of his career. Kevin also doesn't seem to know how to use his athleticism to catch wrestle, which is odd, because for someone as athletic as him and having the wrestling pedigree, it should come natural to him, yet he struggles with it. If Kevin had he went into a career of International wrestling, then maybe his skill set would have improved and he would be using it a lot more, with success, but he has yet to face a dynamic wrestler like Khabib, and still has struggled with his wrestling at times against grappling based fighters and some standup based fighters with a decent grappling skill set. Gillespie is the only one currently at 155 in the UFC, that has the wrestling base to compete with Khabib in a actual wrestling match imo.

Not an expert, but wrestled in hs, juco and college.. fought mma professionally for shits and giggles in my late 30s, and currently teach at Title Boxing. But far from an expert at anything imo. Just a simple lifelong Martial Artist.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

a) Khabib
b) however, if a very good wrestler got Khabib on his back (maybe Kevin Lee is that person), i'm curious to see what happens.
c) Khabib

 

[Bumblebeef]

lee style on his highlight reels

jab jab - high kick
jab jab - cross - body kick

very basic

after a time he tries to get the double leg - THATS it.
he doesnt have another takedown skills.

kevin lee`s wrestling is very predictable, he always has the same routine.
double leg... after a double leg he tries to get on top and pound or he tries to get the rear naked choke.. thats it.

on khabib u see always new stuff. khabib has much more in his arsenal.
on kevin lee u always see the same.

jab jab - kick ..... double leg into rear naked choke.. thats it.

 

[ArtemV]

Khabib is a better clinch wrestler, but sometimes struggles to get it there. Lee is much more comfortable shooting in using reactive shots and has a nice body lock when he uses it. Lee is probably better at the takedowns he uses (mainly double leg and body lock from clinch) but Khabib has much more ways of getting opponents down and is more successful at controlling and dictating in the clinch.

Khabib is better at positioning and making sure you don't get up.

 

[Luvhawky]

No offence but I'm asking people who genuinely understand wrestling on a technical level

not just random opinions

From what I know, I don't believe that to be true. I actually feel Kevin Lee is the better wrestler, I'm just curious what other people think.

You are providing the same insight levels as the guy you are responding to. If you believe Lee is better, provide some analysis.

I think Lee is better in the stand-up department, but Khabib's top control is worlds ahead. Lee can shoot from the outside, which is why he can land doubles. Khabib can't shoot that well from the outside, which is why he shoots low singles. Or doubles against the fence.

 

[ImNotSurpisedDonks!]

What about Gregor? Khabib may have the best MMA wrestling but Gregz beats em all in pure wrestling.

 

[TheBulletwithWings]

The average person probably doesn't know that Lee's wrestling Is very very good, he Is no joke In that department. Had he continued wrestling In College, would've accomplished a lot.

That said, I was just wondering where his wrestling ranks with Khabib.

I understand wrestling but It's not my field of expertise, was just curious If brighter minds than myself In that regard could elaborate.

Who cares. Khabib is the better overall grappler and unless it’s a wrestling match that is all that matters.

 

[agibmxmma]

Khabib's grappling is overrated. Consider his much heralded fight with RDA. It was a fluke.
In this gif, Rafael trips, but it is credited to Khabib as a takedown. Wut?

Then RDA pulls guard. How is that a takedown?

Don't believe the hype.

Hope you are trolling, because if not.. you have no clue what you are looking at. Khabib performs a Koshi Guruma or some with only a basic understanding of Judo, will call it a Koshi Waza.. a Judo Hip Toss, but to be more specific, a Sweeping Hip Throw is what he is doing.. then goes directly into mount. Then in the second clip you posted, Khabib was winning the standup and then transitioned into a Double Leg takedown using catch wrestling, then moved into half guard. RDA was in no control at anytime for any extended length of time, in the two clips you posted.. he didn't trip, nor pull guard.

 

[tenniswhiz]

Khabib's wrestling is on a whole other level.

Khabib takes this one.

Khabib has not wrestled past a kiddie folkstyle local level.
His only competitive wrestling experience was as a very young child.

Khabib is REALLY REALLY good at something.
American folks on here keep calling it “wrestling”.
It’s actually mostly Sambo, with some judo, BJJ, and MMA wrestling mixed in.

It’s like referring to Japanese ramen as “spaghetti”. It’s not.

 

[agibmxmma]

lee style on his highlight reels

jab jab - high kick
jab jab - cross - body kick

very basic

after a time he tries to get the double leg - THATS it.
he doesnt have another takedown skills.

kevin lee`s wrestling is very predictable, he always has the same routine.
double leg... after a double leg he tries to get on top and pound or he tries to get the rear naked choke.. thats it.

on khabib u see always new stuff. khabib has much more in his arsenal.
on kevin lee u always see the same.

jab jab - kick ..... double leg into rear naked choke.. thats it.

This!

 

[Taric]

Khabib style is a hybrid of judo and greco. You aren't going to get a real answer because unless you're a professional fighter no Sherdogger will have a background in judo, freestyle, and greco.

In short: Khabib is the most complete grappler of the two.

 

[josh345]

The barboza fight will answer a lot of questions about Lee. Barboza has good TDD notwithstanding the khabib fight. Kevin should win but it will be interesting over 5 rounds!

 

[Oooxente]

The average person probably doesn't know that Lee's wrestling Is very very good, he Is no joke In that department. Had he continued wrestling In College, would've accomplished a lot.

That said, I was just wondering where his wrestling ranks with Khabib.

I understand wrestling but It's not my field of expertise, was just curious If brighter minds than myself In that regard could elaborate.

Lol

Leaving traps in the heavies. @MescalineDreams