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

#2. Charles Oliveira - UFC lightweight

Charles Oliveira holds a record of 32-8 (1 NC)

Charles Oliveira's grappling skills have taken him all the way to the UFC lightweight championship. While Oliveira specializes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu instead of Makhachev's sambo style of wrestling, one can argue that the lightweight champion has the superior grappling.

Oliveira's elite level grappling has gotten him out of some dangerous spots. In particular, in his last fight, the Brazilian appeared to be outmatched in the striking department against Dustin Poirier. Ultimately, the champion's grappling proved too strong for the American and he submitted him in the third round.

The argument here is largely based off of the fact that Oliveira's skills in the grappling department have taken him further than Makhachev. He has won gold, beaten higher-ranked fighters and is an all-round better competitor than the Russian.

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#1. Kamaru Usman - UFC welterweight

Kamaru Usman holds a record of 20-1

Kamaru Usman may be the most dominant force in all of MMA. He is currently the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, and his biggest strength is his wrestling. With this in mind, it is tough to suggest that there is anyone on the roster with better grappling skills than 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.

Usman's collegiate wrestling days saw him become a three-time All-American and he even won the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2010. He became even more of a prospect after transitioning to MMA and has not lost a single bout inside the octagon.

His wrestling prowess was overwhelmingly apparent throughout the early stages of his career. At that point, he regularly demonstrated his ability to take his opponent to the ground. However, more recently, he has proven to be equally-skilled in defending opponents' takedowns, as we saw in his two wins over Colby Covington.

In recent fights, Usman has showcased a more versatile skill-set and has begun to finish his opponents via striking. With that being said, all this is made possible only due to his exceptional grappling abilities which forces his opponents to try and engage with him in a different manner.