A discussion arose after seeing Vlad Matveev's top 10 greatest UFC fighters list, which notably excluded Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor. The author argues that greatness should include not just titles and opposition quality, but also impact on the sport's popularity, peak performance, dominance in fights, commercial value, and records. The author proposes additional criteria such as contribution to MMA popularization and geographic expansion. Based on these expanded criteria, the proposed top 10 includes: 1) Jon Jones, 2) GSP, 3) Khabib Nurmagomedov, 4) Conor McGregor, 5) Jose Aldo, 6) Alex Pereira, 7) Anderson Silva, 8) Demetrious Johnson, 9) Islam Makhachev, and 10) Amanda Nunes. The post emphasizes that any greatest-of-all-time ranking is inherently subjective.
A debate over how to properly rank the greatest fighters in UFC history has resurfaced, with one analyst making the case that Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor deserve spots in any legitimate top ten conversation.
The discussion was prompted by a top ten list compiled by Vlad Matveev that left out both Khabib and McGregor entirely. The counter-argument holds that greatness cannot be measured by titles and opposition quality alone. Factors such as a fighter's commercial value, peak dominance, records set, and contribution to the sport's global reach and geographic expansion should all carry weight in any serious assessment.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, the 37-year-old Russian who retired with a perfect 29-0-0 record, built a case rooted in total control. Standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, he averaged 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.1 significant strikes landed per minute across his career, combining relentless grappling with genuine striking output at 48 percent accuracy. His unbeaten record and the cultural wave he brought to MMA from Russia and the broader Muslim world are central to the argument for his inclusion.
Jon Jones, at 38 years old and holding a 28-1-0 record, anchors the proposed list at number one. The six-foot-four light heavyweight and heavyweight standout carries an 84-inch reach and leads with 4.38 significant strikes landed per minute at an exceptional 58 percent accuracy, numbers that underline the sustained elite-level output behind his reputation.
Why it matters
- Rankings that exclude commercial and cultural impact arguably undercount fighters who transformed the sport's audience and business
- Khabib's perfect record and grappling dominance sit alongside McGregor's cross-sport mainstream reach as distinct but legitimate forms of greatness
- The debate reflects a broader tension in combat sports between statistical dominance and broader influence as measures of legacy
- Any top ten framing remains inherently subjective, and this proposal is one analyst's framework rather than a consensus view
