Is Khamzat Chimaev a better wrestler than Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev? Exploring the UFC stars' grappling pedigree

Khamzat Chimaev’s distinctive wrestling prowess makes him one of the most feared fighters in the UFC middleweight division. Many believe 'Borz' to hold the title of the sport's best wrestler.

Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov's wrestling background makes them relevant when discussing which of the three wrestlers in the promotion has been the greatest.

'Borz' is next in line to get a shot at the UFC middleweight gold and will face champion Dricus du Plessis in the coming months. Meanwhile, Makhachev’s UFC future remains uncertain, and it is yet to be known if he will transition to welterweight or battle former UFC featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria, who is now a lightweight.

In this piece, let us examine whether Chimaev is a superior wrestler to Makhachev and 'The Eagle.'

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Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev's

30-year-old Khamzat Chimaev, born in Chechnya, Russia, started wrestling at age five. Reportedly, Chimaev won a bronze medal at the junior level of the Russian Championship. 'Borz' has also wrestled in the BK Athén club, among many others, and is considered one of the most elite freestyle wrestlers in the country. In freestyle wrestling, the Chechen phenom is a three-time Swedish champion.

Check out Khamzat Chimaev wrestling with an Olympian below:

Coming to Islam Makhachev’s wrestling and sambo credentials, the UFC lightweight champion trained in freestyle wrestling for a year and later switched to MMA under coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Makhachev has several accolades, including a gold medal at the 2016 World Combat Sambo Championship. The 33-year-old is a two-time Russian national champion at 74 kg in sambo.

Check out Islam Makhachev wrestling Khabib Nurmagomedov below:

Lastly, coming to the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov, who boasts a pro MMA record of 29-0, 'The Eagle' began wrestling at a very young age under his father.

In 2001, Nurmagomedov trained in wrestling at Makhachkala from the age of 12 and trained in judo when he was 15. He is a two-time world champion in combat sambo and also has a background in judo and wrestling. Part of Nurmagomedov’s training included wrestling a bear when he was just nine years old.

Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov wrestling a bear below:

Comparing the stats, Makhachev has averaged 3.20 takedowns per 15 minutes and has a success rate of 53%. Meanwhile, 'The Eagle' retired with 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes and a 48% takedown accuracy, and lastly, 'Borz' has 4.31 takedowns and a 46% success rate.

Chimaev has more accomplishments, being a three-time Swedish national champion in freestyle wrestling. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov and Makhachev’s accomplishments in combat sambo cannot be downplayed as wrestling focuses only on takedowns and controlling opponents on the ground, whereas sambo is one of the best forms of martial arts, allowing submission, strikes, and takedowns, creating well-rounded fighters.

The promotion has seen numerous world-class wrestlers; however, wrestling on the mat and inside the octagon is very different. Each of the three combatants has wrestled at some point throughout their MMA careers. Nurmagomedov has a reputation for having remarkable positional control. Makhachev, meanwhile, can switch positions with ease, and Chimaev puts pressure on his opponents right from the beginning of the battle by making the ground game appear exciting and explosive.