Henry Cejudo has picked his top five UFC fighters of all time, but one important name has been left off the list.
Of course, the self-proclaimed greatest combat sports athlete of all time made the list, but Cejudo left out Khabib Nurmagomedov, the unbeaten former UFC lightweight champion.
Cejudo, a former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion who shares Nurmagomedov’s management, adds that “The Eagle” didn’t make his list since he never became a dual champion.
“I feel he’s in the top 10 because, like me, he only had 12 UFC fights,” Cejudo said on “The Triple C & Schmo Show.” “However, if he wins a second belt and then another title, he will be much better than me because he will be unbeaten.”
In mixed martial arts, being branded “excellent” is a seal of approval. But to be named among the greatest of all time is to be inducted into the elite annals of history, where legions of fighters, critics, and fans will look up to you for the rest of your life.
There have been many excellent MMA fighters over the sport’s history. Only a few, though, have achieved GOAT status. DAZN News capped it at a dozen, which are listed here in no particular order.
Georges St-Pierre
Cejudo’s decision to leave Nurmagomedov out may surprise some, but so will the order in which he ranks his opponents. Check out Cejudo’s top ten list, from No. 5 to No. 1.
St-Pierre, widely regarded as the best welterweight of all time, won the 170-pound belt twice then the middleweight title in his final UFC fight after a four-year hiatus. Before vacating his welterweight belt, the Canadian had successfully defended it nine times in a row.
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, was able to win a lot more gold when he won the UFC flyweight and bantamweight titles at the same time. He also successfully defended both titles.
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Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva‘s hegemony over the middleweight category was impressive. “The Spider” successfully defended his UFC title ten times in a row, amassing an astounding highlight reel in the process. He never contended for the light heavyweight championship, although he did dabble in the weight class during his term as champion and won several matches there.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0)
“The Eagle” finished his MMA career by submitting a murderer’s row of Conor McGregor (fourth-round neck crank), Dustin Poirier (third-round rear-naked choke), and Justin Gaethje (second-round triangle choke), each time taking one round less.
He left the Octagon with a perfect 29-0 record, having won the lightweight title and established himself as the best wrestler/grappler the sport has ever seen. Certified by the GOAT.
Jon Jones
Jon Jones has never lost in MMA, with the exception of a DQ for illegal elbows. The former UFC light heavyweight champion defended his title 11 times against generations of fighters. Jones will seek to capture a second UFC title in the heavyweight category, where he will look to continue making history.