5 UFC fighters who may have better grappling skills than Islam Makhachev

#4. Colby Covington - UFC welterweight

Colby Covington holds a record of 16-3

Colby Covington does not have an undisputed UFC title or Olympic medal to his name, however, he has beaten some of the best names in the sport thanks to the elite level of wrestling he possesses. Covington was also an All-American during his collegiate wrestling days.

When transitioning to MMA, Covington paired his wrestling skills with an underrated striking game. He is also known for his ridiculous stamina in the octagon, which just might be his greatest weapon. These assets have allowed the American to become one of the most successful grapplers in recent history.

Covington's elite wrestling was on full display when he defeated Jorge Masvidal in the main event at UFC 272. He was able to take 'Gamebred' to the ground repeatedly and utilized this to his advantage for most of the fight.

This performance was a perfect example of why he is one of the best grapplers in the sport.

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#3. Khamzat Chimaev - UFC welterweight

Khamzat Chimaev holds a record of 10-0

Khamzat Chimaev has been freekishly dominant since his debut with the UFC in 2020. While he has proven he has the striking skills to knockout elite fighters, the strongest aspect of his game appears to be his wrestling. Chimaev is a three-time national freestyle wrestling champion in his home country of Sweden.

His strength in this area has allowed him to physically dominate his opposition in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions. We are yet to see anyone come close to matching Chimaev's grappling skills in the octagon as none of his fights have reached the end of round two.

This could suggest that there is a very real possibility that Chimaev is a superior grappler when compared to Islam Makhachev. He had a closely-fought, grappling-heavy fight with Arman Tsarukyan back in 2019. No-one has come that close to being Makhachev's equal thus far.