Ever wonder what would happen if two UFC legends, GSP, the “greatest athlete”, and Khabib, the “scariest guy”, locked horns? We’re talking about champions, masters of their crafts, both hailing as GOATs in their divisions!

GSP, the veteran, has respect for Khabib, calling him “the scariest” even though he’s “the scariest” himself!

Khabib’s wrestling vs. GSP’s karate – who’ll outsmart the other?

So, who would win in a GSP vs Khabib bout? Age, weight, and fighting styles differ, making it a battle of strategy and skill.

GSP, the veteran with killer technique and a knack for turning any fight into a chess match.

Khabib, the relentless grappler with a pressure game that smothers opponents like a mountain.

Striking Comparison

GSP vs Khabib: Striking Showdown Simplified

In the striking game, Khabib focuses on smart distancing and switches from a defensive to an aggressive stance. GSP excels in maintaining distance, using lateral movement, but has some defensive vulnerabilities, especially when standing sideways.

Khabib striking against Conor McGregor

Defensively, GSP has a solid guard but struggles with fast shots. Khabib keeps his hands high for defense but has limited head movement and is vulnerable to close-range strikes.

On the offensive side, GSP’s footwork is impressive, using his lead hand and leg effectively. Khabib brings relentless pressure, overwhelming opponents with strategic use of the cage.

GSP’s offense relies on a crucial jab, diverse strikes, effective setups and throws a superman punch. Khabib throws various strikes but could improve in setting up his moves for better effectiveness.

GSP teaching how to throw a superman punch

In summary, it’s a clash of styles—GSP’s finesse against Khabib’s relentless pressure. Both fighters bring unique strengths and areas for improvement to the MMA arena.

Let’s compare the striking statistics of Georges St-Pierre (GSP) and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Georges St-Pierre (GSP):

  • Striking Percentage: 54% (1398 strikes landed out of 2598 attempts)
  • Significant Strike Defense: 73%
  • Strikes While Standing: 55% (762 strikes)
  • Clinch Position Strikes: 8% (108 strikes)
  • Ground Position Strikes: 38% (523 strikes)

Khabib Nurmagomedov:

  • Striking Percentage: 49% (705 significant strikes out of 1444 attempts)
  • Significant Strike Defense: 65%
  • Sig. Strikes By Target: Head (86%), Body (9%), Leg (5%)
  • Sig. Strikes By Position: Standing (42%), Clinch (4%), Ground (54%)

Analysis:

1. Striking Percentage:

   – GSP: 54%

   – Khabib: 49%

2. Significant Strike Defense:

   – GSP: 73%

   – Khabib: 65%

3. Strikes While Standing:

   – GSP: 55%

   – Khabib: 42%

4. Clinch Position Strikes:

   – GSP: 8%

   – Khabib: 4%

5. Ground Position Strikes:

   – GSP: 38%

   – Khabib: 54%

Summary:

– Efficiency: GSP has a higher striking percentage (54% vs 49%), indicating better accuracy.

– Defensive Skills: GSP has a superior significant strike defense (73% vs 65%), showcasing better defensive capabilities.

– Striking Style: GSP prefers standing strikes more (55% vs 42%), whereas Khabib is notably strong in ground positions (54%).

In this comparison, GSP appears to have a more well-rounded and effective striking game, combining accuracy with solid defensive skills.

Khabib, on the other hand, excels in ground positions, reflecting his dominance in grappling and ground fighting.

Wrestling and Grappling comparison

GSP’s Wrestling Journey:

At the start of his career, GSP had trouble defending against takedowns, especially in a fight against Matt Hughes. But he learned and got better, beating skilled wrestlers like Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields. GSP improved a lot, with a high success rate of taking opponents down and defending against takedowns.

Ground and Pound Mastery:

GSP showed different ways of hitting opponents on the ground. Against Koscheck, he used elbows and punches cleverly. With Shields, he focused on controlling the fight on the ground. In a match with Condit, GSP made many takedowns and controlled the fight with strikes from the ground.Overall, GSP’s ground and pound game is very impressive.

Submissions and Defense:

GSP didn’t just wrestle, he also used submission moves. He was good at stopping opponents from making him give up by defending against their moves. His strategy was smart, and he knew how to keep the fight in a good position for him.

Khabib’s Invincible Aura

Khabib Nurmagomedov is really good at grappling and has a special way of fighting that makes him very tough to beat.

Khabib Wrestling practice at his gym

Takedown Offense:

Khabib is excellent at taking opponents down. He keeps moving forward and uses the cage to help him control the fight. Sometimes, his takedowns don’t work, but he keeps trying different moves.

Ground and Pound Dominance:

Once Khabib gets his opponents on the ground, he hits them a lot. He uses different angles and grips to make it hard for them to defend themselves. His ground-and-pound is strong and can be really tough to handle.

Submission Offense:

Khabib knows how to use submission moves, especially the rear-naked choke. While he may not have many different moves, the ones he uses are very effective.

Conclusion:

If GSP and Khabib were to fight, it would be interesting to see how their grappling skills match up. GSP’s well-rounded style versus Khabib’s seemingly unbeatable approach would make for an exciting showdown, showcasing different aspects of MMA grappling.

Let’s break down the grappling and wrestling stats of GSP and Khabib in simpler terms.

GSP has thrown 523 significant strikes from the ground, making up 38% of his UFC strikes.

Khabib, however, takes it up a notch with 54% of his UFC strikes (380 significant strikes) from the ground. This suggests Khabib prefers to grapple and aims to take the fight to the ground.

When it comes to defending takedowns, both are pretty good. GSP stops 85% of takedowns, and Khabib is not far behind with 84%. But GSP surprises with a higher accuracy in landing takedowns, hitting 74% compared to Khabib’s 48%.

Looking at their takedown averages, GSP scores 4.16 takedowns per 15 minutes, showing his well-rounded grappling skills. Khabib, on the other hand, is more aggressive, averaging 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Khabib Submitting his wrestling partner

Now, let’s talk submissions. GSP has tried 22 submissions, showing his diverse skills. Khabib, with fewer matches, attempted 13. But Khabib shines when it comes to winning by submission, securing 5 wins compared to GSP’s 3. This means Khabib is more efficient in turning submission attempts into victories.

In summary, Khabib’s ground game is strong, and he loves going for submissions. However, GSP has solid defense and accurate takedowns, making it a fascinating clash of styles if they were to face off. Keep an eye on how their grappling skills play out in the fight.

Cardio Comparison

GSP workout plan

GSP focuses on being effective rather than doing flashy exercises. He doesn’t like hitting tires with sledgehammers. Instead, he believes in doing consistent activities for at least 30 days to make it a habit. GSP’s training includes weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, and sprinting for six weeks before a fight. He also has a circuit workout using dumbbells and bodyweight.

GSP’s cardio

GSP has never lost a fight that goes past the second round, showing he’s good at lasting longer in fights.

GSP’s average fight time is 13 minutes and 09 seconds, with an overall time of 5 hours, 42 minutes, and 35 seconds.

Khabib Workout plan

Khabib trains hard two to three times every day, following the routine of “Train, eat, sleep, repeat.” He does heavy lifting with low reps to be powerful and agile. He also trains in the high mountains of Dagestan, doing intense exercises to improve his breathing and endurance.

Khabib’s Cardio:

Khabib’s wrestling background adds to his cardio. However, he has only fought one 5-round match, and most of his wins are quick in the first round. This makes people wonder how his cardio holds up in longer fights. Khabib’s average fight time is 13 minutes and 13 seconds, with an overall time of 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 55 seconds.

In short, GSP stays efficient and consistent in his workouts, allowing him to last in longer fights. Khabib works hard with a mix of strength training and mountain drills, but his limited experience in 5-round fights raises questions about his endurance in longer championship matches.

Power Comparison

GSP’s Power

GSP tightning his muscles to show his power

GSP, or Georges St-Pierre, has a solid record when it comes to knocking out opponents. He has 8 Knockout Victories in the UFC, with 7 of them happening in the first round.

His Knockdown average per 15 minutes is 0.37.

When we talk about his punching power, it’s not considered elite compared to some other fighters known for their devastating knockouts.

GSP focused on precision and technique, landing accurate combinations rather than relying on sheer strength. Scientific data from ESPN Sport Science showed his punches registering around 2859 lbs of force, which is respectable but not top-tier in the heavyweight division.

Khabib Power:

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s power is a bit different from traditional knockout artists. He has 8 Knockout Victories in the UFC, with 11 first-round wins. His Knockdown average per 15 minutes is 0.17.

Khabib’s strength doesn’t lie in raw punching power like some other lightweight fighters. Instead, he excels in unyielding pressure and control during grappling. Unlike fighters who go for quick knockout punches, Khabib’s approach is precise and effective.

Khabib grappling match with his partner in the gym

He emphasizes technique and timing, using his wrestling skills to create openings for punches at just the right moments and angles.

In essence, Khabib’s power isn’t about knocking someone out with a single punch but rather about controlling the fight, wearing down opponents, and delivering effective strikes when the opportunity arises.

His unique approach to power has contributed to his dominant career in the UFC.

Chin comparison

GSP Chin:

Evaluating Georges St-Pierre’s (GSP) chin is a nuanced task, considering the various aspects of his career. Despite an early shock with a first-round TKO by Matt Serra at UFC 69, labeling GSP’s chin as weak requires a more in-depth analysis:

Durability:

– Strength Shown: GSP endured significant punishment from formidable opponents like Matt Serra, Carlos Condit without succumbing to knockouts.

– Notable Knockdowns: Although he experienced knockdowns, notably against Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit, GSP showcased quick recovery and remained competitive in those fights.

GSP's face after a fight against Johny Hendricks

Overall Assessment:

– GSP’s chin isn’t deemed unbreakable, but it exhibited remarkable resilience throughout his career.

– Defensive skills, fight intelligence, and recovery ability played pivotal roles in lessening the vulnerability of his chin.

Additional Considerations:

– Some attribute early losses to chin issues, while others point to tactical errors or fatigue.

– GSP’s move to middleweight in his later career exposed him to bigger punchers, resulting in some challenging moments.

– Judging chin quality based solely on knockdowns may not be accurate, considering factors like recovery and fight intelligence.

Conclusion:

GSP’s chin, while not flawless, held up well during his dominant career. Its subjective evaluation depends on individual perspectives and the significance assigned to various factors.

Khabib Chin:

In contrast, Khabib Nurmagomedov boasts a durable chin, evident in his performances against powerful opponents:

– Toughness Displayed: Khabib faced kicks from Edson Barboza and emerged victorious in that bout.

– Zero Knockdowns: Remarkably, Khabib has never been knocked down in his career.

– Facing Power Punches: Against Justin Gaethje, known for his hard-hitting style, Khabib absorbed punches and retaliated, ultimately winning the match.

Considering his ability to withstand significant strikes and power shots, Khabib’s chin strength appears to be a notable asset in his fighting arsenal when compared to GSP.