Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
MMA Junkie Staff

30 greatest UFC fighters of all time: Was Khabib Nurmagomedov’s No. 5 ranking too high?

The UFC’s 30th anniversary date has come and gone, and in the build-up to the milestone date, MMA Junkie counted down its 30 greatest fighters of all time to compete for the promotion.

There was plenty of debate about the entire list from top to bottom, and one of the major discussion points was undefeated former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov getting the No. 5 position after a dominant octagon tenure that, in the minds of many, ended prematurely due to his retirement.

The final list was tabulated through a points system after voting from MMA Junkie’s 12-person staff, with “The Eagle” landing just outside the Mount Rushmore.

Still, was No. 5 too high for Khabib? That was a major point of conversation on MMA Junkie’s special edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” where the majority of our staff came together to discuss and debate the finer points of the list, including Nurmagomedov getting such a prominent position despite just 13 promotional appearances.

Check out the discussion in the video above, or watch the entire 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time podcast below.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.