Arman Tsarukyan stated that Conor McGregor would not have been able to defeat Khabib Nurmagomedov even if both were in their prime. Tsarukyan explained that it comes down to styles making the fight, and Khabib's unstoppable wrestling would have been the deciding factor. He acknowledged that Khabib was truly elite in wrestling but not in striking. Tsarukyan's comments reflect his assessment that even a prime McGregor would not have been able to overcome Nurmagomedov's grappling dominance. The post prompted a poll asking fans whether McGregor would have been more competitive in his prime.
Arman Tsarukyan has weighed in on one of MMA's most debated hypotheticals, arguing that Conor McGregor would not have defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov even if both men had been at the absolute peak of their careers.
Tsarukyan, 29, made the remarks in a recent interview, explaining his view through the lens of styles. The Armenian-Russian lightweight contender said Khabib's wrestling was simply unstoppable and would have been the decisive factor regardless of the circumstances. He did acknowledge that Nurmagomedov was not elite on the feet, but maintained that his grappling dominance more than compensated. Tsarukyan currently holds the number-one ranking in the lightweight division and carries a 23-3 record. Fighting out of American Top Team, he lands 3.85 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy and averages 3.26 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired with a perfect 29-0 record, built his legacy largely on that wrestling Tsarukyan references. The Russian averaged an elite 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career, a figure that underscores just how suffocating his pressure was on the canvas.
McGregor, 37, represents the counter-argument. The Irishman from SBG Ireland carries a 22-6 record and remains one of the most dangerous strikers the lightweight division has seen, averaging 5.32 significant strikes per minute. His reach of 74 inches gave him real advantages on the feet, but his takedown output of just 0.67 per 15 minutes highlights the grappling gap Tsarukyan is pointing to.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan is the top-ranked lightweight contender, giving his stylistic opinions genuine weight within the division
- The debate touches on Khabib's undefeated legacy and what, if anything, could have threatened it
- McGregor's striking rate and reach advantage versus Khabib's elite wrestling rate remains the core stylistic tension in the argument
