When it comes to grappling, one name stands head and shoulders above the rest: Gordon Ryan. Widely regarded as the greatest grappler on the planet, Ryan has become an unstoppable force in the sport. With an impressive record of 96 victories and just 5 defeats, ‘The King’ has seemingly forgotten what it feels like to lose. But what if Ryan found himself across the mat from one of MMA’s most elite grapplers — none other than UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev? Hailing from Dagestan, the region has built a reputation for producing some of the finest wrestlers and grapplers in combat sports.

Makhachev is known for his unmatched wrestling pedigree. His ground game, crafted under the tutelage of legendary coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, has proven nearly impossible to counter. A hypothetical clash between Ryan and Makhachev presents intriguing questions: How would Ryan’s unparalleled submission artistry fare against Makhachev’s suffocating top control and wrestling mastery? Could Ryan’s precision in jiu-jitsu break through Makhachev’s ironclad defenses, or would the Dagestani’s relentless pressure and control nullify Ryan’s submission threats? Apart from expert opinions, let us see what AI has to say about this hypothetical matchup!

AI predicts the grappling clash between Makhachev and Ryan

Recently, Gordon Ryan has been making headlines due to his rivalry with another grappling superstar Mikey Musumeci, and his confession about PED usage. The seven-time ADCC world champion claimed that for the fighters to go beyond their natural limit, it would be better if the promotion agreed to let them use ster—s. Regardless, as the fighter makes headlines, we should move forward to have a look at what the AI says about a grappling match between Gordon Ryan and Islam Makhachev.

The fight will be nothing but a test of Ryan’s technique and size vs. Islam Makhachev’s precision. With a career record of 96 victories, Ryan has enough experience to neutralize Makhachev in a grappling match but how would the fight conclude? Ryan’s immense size in addition to his commanding presence inside the grappling ring would be a gargantuan challenge for Makhachev. However, the 155lbs kingpin is no stranger to submitting BJJ specialists as we saw in his match against Charles Oliveira. Ryan would indeed overwhelm the UFC champ with high-level grappling and high positioning hierarchy but a question remains.

Would Ryan’s otherworldly ability outmatch Makhachev’s resistance and athleticism? Their battle would be much like a clash between brawn and brain. Well, under the ADCC rules, which heavily favor submission attempts and undermine passivity, ‘The King’ would be on the top against the UFC champ. Ryan would thrive in their matchup as his attacks would leave no room for some counterattempts by the Dagestani.

The lightweight champ might use his wrestling and his cardio to pressurize the seven-time ADCC world champion but in the end, Islam Makhachev would be submitted by Gordon Ryan. Well, now that we know how the clash between Islam Makhachev and Gordon Ryan would materialize if they ever embrace the grappling stage but now let us have a look at what would happen if the grappling king steps inside the Octagon against the lightweight champion.

What if Islam Makhachev and Gordon Ryan fought inside the Octagon?

In grappling, Gordon Ryan has a clear upper hand owing to his expertise and experience. But when it comes to MMA, things get a little tough for ‘The King.’ While Ryan’s submission game is the stuff of legend, Makhachev’s wrestling might prove to be a big troubling factor for the seven-time ADCC world champion. If they ever face the Octagon, Ryan will try his best to take Makhachev to the ground but the lightweight champion would completely shut down his attempt by capitalizing on his wrestling and striking.

It must be noted that Ryan is weak against wrestling as the last time he tested his mettle against a wrestler, he failed badly. Ryan was defeated by Patrick Downey by way of a technical fallback in 2020 and the same thing would be replicated if Ryan tries to wrestle against Makhachev. The lightweight champion’s sharp striking and fluid combinations would expose Ryan’s inexperience in stand-up exchanges thus leaving him open for the UFC champ.

Gordon Ryan’s superior grappling would indeed make it a bit difficult for the UFC champ to finish the match early but Makhachev’s superior conditioning and durability would for sure be a bit too much for the ADCC champ.

At the end of the day, if Makhachev steers clear of dangerous grappling exchanges, he would most likely dominate Ryan and knock him out in the third-fourth round to clinch the victory. So, to conclude the entire analogy, if it comes to grappling, Gordon Ryan would completely dominate Islam Makhachev but the story would be different if MMA rules were involved. What are your take on the predictions? State your thoughts in the comments below.