Debate emerges over UFC GOAT rankings excluding Nurmagomedov and McGregor

A discussion has emerged in the MMA community regarding the criteria for ranking the greatest UFC fighters of all time. The debate was sparked by a top-10 list compiled by Vlad Matveev that notably excluded Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor while including fighters like Daniel Cormier, Alexander Volkanovski, and Randy Couture. The original ranking focused on criteria including quality opposition, title fight victories, winning streaks, career risks, title fight finishes, longevity, and losses. An alternative perspective suggests that additional factors should be considered, including contribution to popularizing MMA, peak form dominance in fights, commercial impact, geographic expansion of the sport's reach, and records achieved. The discussion highlights the inherently subjective nature of all-time rankings and whether greatness should be measured solely by championship accomplishments or also by broader cultural and commercial influence on the sport.