Gillespie & Ismagulov

[FrankDux]

I'm curious to see when these guys fight again. Not necessarily against each other, although I'd love to see it...but moreso just anxious to see these guys fight again regardless of opponent.

These LWs have a combined 37-2 record. Damir is 4-0 in the UFC. And if it wasn't for getting clipped by Kevin Lee, there's a good chance Gillespie would be 8-0 in the UFC...instead he's 7-1 (hey, it happens to the best of them when you're swinging 4 oz gloves).

If these guys don't fight each other soon, when/who do you think these guys should fight next?

 

[AmericanNinja]

At one point I thought Gregor would be a decent threat to Khabib with his cardio, pace, and wrestling. His last 6 wins have all been finishes. But of course his biggest test with Lee he got starched. Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda. MMA is unforgiving and only 1 fight in 2 years makes you forgotten. He will be 35 by the time he fights next. His window may be closed.

 

[Sticko]

And if it wasn't for getting clipped by Kevin Lee, there's a good chance Gillespie would be 8-0 in the UFC...instead he's 7-1 (hey, it happens to the best of them when you're swinging 4 oz gloves).

lol was Kevin wearing 4 oz gloves on his feet?

 

[Joinho10]

lol was Kevin wearing 4 oz gloves on his feet?

lmfaoo that got a good laugh out of me but I think he meant it more as a "saying" if you get what I'm saying.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Gregor doesn't seem to be pushing activity. Not sure how long his window last.

Ismagulov vs Madsen could be fun (for grappling fans)

 

[SKITZADACTYL]

gregor could still be making noise in the division but only cares about fishing.

 

[svmr_db]

Gregor doesn't seem to be pushing activity. Not sure how long his window last.

Ismagulov vs Madsen could be fun (for grappling fans)

Would be fun, I think Madsen is near his ceiling though given his age, he almost lost to Clay Guida.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Would be fun, I think Madsen is near his ceiling though given his age, he almost lost to Clay Guida.

He's also 38 this upcoming year but undefeated and is a an interesting matchup for any Russian /dagestani grappler

 

[FEDORFAN44]

I'd like to see ismagulov vs grant Dawson and Gregor vs the winner of Alvarez & Arman

 

[SecondToNone]

Damir would dance Macarena on Fisherman’s head

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

At one point I thought Gregor would be a decent threat to Khabib with his cardio, pace, and wrestling. His last 6 wins have all been finishes. But of course his biggest test with Lee he got starched. Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda. MMA is unforgiving and only 1 fight in 2 years makes you forgotten. He will be 35 by the time he fights next. His window may be closed.

I thought he had a lot of potential when he first burst onto the UFC, he was really running through guys with his wrestling technique and high-pressure style. But in hindsight looking at his opponents in his early run they were all wrestling deficient and not on his level (some good, but no one close to elite):

Glaico Franca, Andrew Holbrook, Jason Gonzalez, Jordan Rinaldi, Vinc Pichel, Yancy Medeiros

The only decent wrestler there is Pichel and he is nowhere near GG's level. Basically the first two high-level fighters he faced were Kevin Lee and CDF; he didn't try to wrestle against Kevin Lee and got KO''d (Lee no longer in the UFC, that fight was 2 years ago and GG has only fought once since then), and then in the CDF fight he actually got outgrappled by CDF for multiple stretches until he gassed.

GG has a ton of talent but I'd say he is undersized for the division and his style would not pair up well with a fighter like Khabib - then again, who does? Dude is definitely an incredibly talented fighter but not sure he's ever proven he can do it against the truly elite.

 

[Shay Brennan]

That fight with Ferreria was soo good. What a pace he put on Diego and later crushed him.

 

[GeneTunney7]

At one point I thought Gregor would be a decent threat to Khabib with his cardio, pace, and wrestling. His last 6 wins have all been finishes. But of course his biggest test with Lee he got starched. Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda. MMA is unforgiving and only 1 fight in 2 years makes you forgotten. He will be 35 by the time he fights next. His window may be closed.

You were not wrong. Gregor got caught, but so what? The styles makes the fights. Any one would have been slept by that kick.

His style is indeed the formula to have success against Khabib, and even Khabib said as much (i.e. 'if you want to beat me, learn to wrestle'). Khabib got kinda lucky in the regard that he did not fight a high level wrestler until his last fight, and even then that 'wrestler' contacted Dan Henderson syndrome and was only really a striker at that point. A more motivated and younger Kevin Lee, Gregor, Chandler, Islam - these are the guys that would have atleast potentially nullified Khabib's wrestling for a while.

 

[SamuraiBro]

gregor could still be making noise in the division but only cares about fishing.

I thought people were ducking him ?