Is Islam Makhachev a more accomplished grappler than Khabib Nurmagomedov? Analyzing their Combat Sambo triumphs

Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov are two of the most dominant grapplers to ever grace the UFC lightweight division. Both men have held the 155-pound strap, with Makhachev being the weight class' current champion.

Furthermore, both men train out of the American Kickboxing Academy and spent most of their careers under the tutelage of the late great Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who guided them to various triumphs in both Combat Sambo and MMA. So, who exactly is the better grappler between the two?

While neither of their official Combat Sambo records are available online, both men are highly accomplished. Islam Makhachev is a former FIAS World Combat Sambo Championships gold medalist, Combat Sambo world champion, a four-time Combat Sambo Russian national champion, and Russian Nationals champion.

Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov is a former Russian Combat Sambo Championships gold medalist, and a two-time World Combat Sambo Championships gold medalist. Former UFC fighter and teammate Josh Thomson once claimed that 'The Eagle' competed in 250 sambo fights.

Additionally, Nurmagomedov's lone loss in combat sports is said to have taken place in the 2005 Russian Combat Sambo Championships in the under-68 kg category when he was just 17 years old. He faced 20-year-old Magomed Ibragimov in a losing effort, marking the only defeat in his athletic career.

But what of the pair's grappling statistics in MMA? Islam Makhachev currently boasts 11 wins via submission, with his greatest being his win against Charles Oliveira, a third-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov also had 11 submission wins in MMA. The UFC Hall of Famer's greatest submission wins are arguably over former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler Justin Gaethje and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Dustin Poirier.

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The stylistic differences between Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov's grappling

While both men are highly regarded grapplers with a superficial similarity, there are key differences in how they approach fights.

Islam Makhachev generally waits for his opponents to square (and inadvertently expose) their hips when they commit to punches, before ducking under and shooting for a counter-takedown.

He also uses judo trips and throws more than Khabib Nurmagomedov does, often throwing knees in the clinch to trick his foes into doing the same. However, the moment his opponent obliges and raises their knee, Makhachev trips or sweeps their standing leg.

Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov usually shoots for fast, explosive low-single takedowns. On the mat, Nurmagomedov is more concerned with ground-and-pound, while Makhachev focuses more on control and submissions.