In every sport, there are those who standout far above the competition; the athletes who cement their name into the history books with their performances, sparking debate about just how good they were about their peers. Who is the UFC’s Greatest of All Time?
The UFC is no different. Since its mainstream inception in the 1990s in Denver, Colorado at UFC 1, different athletes have vied for the top spot in the eyes of the fans, and whilst you would be hard-pressed to find two avid mixed martial arts fans with the same opinion, generally there are a few fighters who have risen into immortality with their sheer greatness.
However, first, it is important to quantify what makes a fighter ‘great’. The former NFL head coach Vince Lombardi once said ‘It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up” and every great UFC fighter has endured their fair share of adversity. Or have they?
Dagestani lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov retired in October 2020 after a dominant submission victory over exciting knockout artist Justin Gaethje with a 29-0 record. Fans of his will rightly point to these impressive stats, and the swift manner in which many of his opponents were dealt with, to claim that ‘The Eagle’ should be amongst the UFC’s Greatest Of All Time.
Others, however, will point out that the 29-0 is inflated, with 16 of those wins coming dubiously on the Russian regional scene, mainly coming against novices (or ‘cans’ as fans call them).
Embed from Getty ImagesWhilst it is undeniable that the impact Khabib left in the world of MMA will last forever (and indeed his protégé Islam Makhachev has merely continued his dominance over the Lightweight division) three title defences, whilst against formidable competition in Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, pales in comparison to the defense numbers of fighters to come later on this list.
With that being said, let’s get into some of the contenders for UFC’s GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)…
UFC’s Greatest of All Time
Jon ‘Bones’ Jones
What do you get when you combine the athleticism of a 6’4 265 NFL prospect with the ruthlessness of a serial killer? You get Jon Jones, undoubtedly one of the most dominant fighters the UFC has ever seen.
Whilst he has come under fire for his long list of extracurricular incidents outside the octagon (ranging from drunken car crashes to failing drug tests) inside it Jones has been nothing short of spectacular.
Embed from Getty ImagesSince making his UFC debut in 2008, it can be argued that no man has ever ‘beaten’ the Albuquerque dynamo, with his sole loss coming from disqualification to Matt Hamill, who was suffering from Jones’s relentless pressure before ‘Bones’ landed illegal 12-6 elbows, and with the beleaguered Hamill unable to continue he was awarded the win.
Embed from Getty ImagesWithout question, Jones has the highest quality resume of opponents in UFC history, with fighters and former champions such as Daniel Cormier, Lyoto Machida, ‘Shogun’ Rua, Glover Teixeira and Vitor Belfort all on a hit list that contained 11 successful title defenses and his fair share of iconic moments. However, many argue that using performance-enhancing drugs should rule him out of the GOAT debate, and many of these fans turn to the next man in this list for support…
Georges St-Pierre
GSP strolls into the arena. Bandana round his head, emblazoned with Japanese characters, wearing a gi wrapped with a black belt in BJJ. He was there to do his job – put on a show, retain his belt, and continue with his life. In essence, Georges St-Pierre represented everything MMA is about.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe was always respectful in victory and defeat (it says a lot about his character that his most infamous line was ‘I was not impressed by your performance’ to Matt Hughes before their fight) and fans watched in awe as he dispatched some of the best of his generation with a stylish smoothness never before seen in MMA.
Also Read: CM Punk: Torn Left Triceps at Royal Rumble 2024
Not only does the Canadian hold wins over the likes of Matt Hughes, B.J. Penn and Nick Diaz.
He also compiled nine title defences, using his wrestling to great advantage despite not having a strong wrestling background.
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter retiring following a narrow win over future champ Johnny Hendricks, St-Pierre proved the doubters wrong to claim a massive victory up a weight class four years later at UFC 217 against a surging Michael Bisping, full of confidence and holding all the size advantages.
Also Read: Sarina Wiegman signs two year contract extension with Lionesses
In addition, he accomplished all of this with his usual assured confidence, not looking uncomfortable or out of place even once, and that is why GSP is my pick for the Greatest of all Time.
He deserves his place on MMA’s Mount Rushmore more than anyone, and despite taking fire for his two losses (to Matt Serra and Matt Hughes) he avenged both of those in quick fashion, leaving no doubt of his greatness.
Image Credit: Deviantart
Great article
St Pierre takes it for me