5 UFC fighters with the best wrestling, and 1 with the worst

5 UFC fighters with the best wrestling, 1 with the worst

Wrestling will always be one of the most important aspects of MMA so we break down five of the best to do it and one that needs some work.

Feb 8, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) fights Dominick Reyes (blue gloves) during / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

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1.Islam Makhachev

The lightweight king in the UFC is a no-brainer for this list. Islam Makhachev’s blend of pace and relentless takedowns has resulted in a 13-1 UFC record with six submissions.

Makhachev’s early roots were in combat sambo where he won a world championship in 2016. He was also a four-time Russian National Champion.

While his striking has improved it’s his ability to wrestle that has got him to where he is today. Look to his one-sided domination of the always-tough Dan Hooker. Makhachev bullied Hooker, taking him down and submitting him with relative ease. His fight with Arman Tsaryukan is a wrestler's dream match. It is 15 minutes of constant scrambling and transitioning.

Makhachev is a daunting task for any fighter to handle and it stems from his rock-solid wrestling base. His ability to chain wrestle is nearly impossible to deal with. He also boasts a 91% takedown defense score.

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