"His jiu-jitsu is ridiculous" - Alexander Volkanovski and Robert Whittaker compare Khabib Nurmagomedov with Charles Oliveira
Alexander Volkanovski and Robert Whittaker have discussed the respective skills of lightweight greats Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Praising both menβs abilities in the cage, the two Australian fighters couldn't help but draw comparisons between their skillsets in the octagon.
'The Eagle' retired from competition in 2020. After Khabib vacated the title, 'Do Bronx' became the Dagestani's championship successor. Unfortunately for fans, despite their long tenures in the UFC, the pair never faced each other.
While speaking to Niko Pajarillo on Fight Week on Fox Sports, 'The Great' suggested that people really understand just how good Khabib was. However, Volkanovski still believes that Charles Oliveira would pose a significant threat to him.
"People dont give Khabib credit enough for his grabbling ability. Everyone knows about the wrestling but the grappling is another level too... Saying that, Oliveira is a dangerous guy. He could catch him on the feet. He can still get a submission... It'd be interesting to see if he could wrap him up as Khabib takes him down. "
'The Reaper', meanwhile, was in awe at the jiu-jitsu skills of the former champ. Whittaker admitted that he's never seen anything like that kind of dominance inside the cage.
"A lot of people think Khabib's a wrestler, which is he without equal. It's his grappling, his whole compliment of the game. His jiu-jitsu is ridiculous. His control in the game, you can see how technical his grappling is if you break it down. Common fans don't realize how good his grappling is... Having that much control puts a level of fear into fighters because he's gonna start throwing bombs."
Whittaker and Volkanovski both agreed that Charles Oliveira would certainly have a chance against the undefeated Russian. Given that the Brazilian boasts records for most finishes and submission victories in UFC history, it would certainly be difficult to write him off.
Watch Robert Whittaker and Alexander Volkanovski discuss the two lightweights below:
Charles Oliveira looking for 11th straight victory against Justin Gaethje
Lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is looking to successfully defend his belt for a second time this weekend at UFC 274. The Brazilian last stepped inside the cage at UFC 269, where he put on a Performance of the Night display, defeating Dustin Poirer and retaining the title.
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[ @CharlesDoBronxs | #UFC274 | Saturday | Live on ESPN+ PPV: ufc.ac/3KqADBS ] https://t.co/wBM2LaflR6
Standing in his way next is walking highlight reel Justin Gaethje. Like 'Do Bronx', the American is coming into this fight with a victory over Michael Chandler on his record. This will be the second time that 'The Highlight' has fought for the title, having previously lost out to former champ Khabib Nurmagomedov.
While a finish for Oliveira would extend his record for the most UFC finishes to 19, a victory for Gaethje would mean a first title reign on MMA's biggest stage for the always-entertaining contender.