In any sport, ranking the greatest competitors is always a tough task, with disagreement almost a certainty in some form.
UFC is no different, especially when you consider the fact there is different divisions for different weights, meaning those regarded as a GOAT by some may not be able to face off with other people’s GOATs.
The likes of Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones, Jose Aldo, Kamaru Usman and Nick Diaz have entertained for years, but who have fans ranked as the GOAT? Let’s find out…
Starting from back to front, one of the most obvious suggestions for ‘Not A Fighter’ is surely CM Punk. The wrestling Superstar has had two fights in the Octagon, with a loss and no contest, his UFC career ended after a sorry attempt to compete.
‘Trash’ seems a harsh tag for professional athletes, but Ben Askren is one of those to be put into that category. That seems even harsher when you consider his 19-2-0 record in the sport.
Moving onto the ‘Overrated’ fighters, Ronda Rousey and Jorge Masvidal feature. Rousey only took part in 14 fights before switching her attentions to WWE. Jorge Masvidal, whilst he has had a successful career, Masvidal so far has accumulated 16 losses, with nine of them coming in the UFC.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 31: UFC Strawweight Champion Ronda Rousey of the United States poses for photographers during the UFC 190 Rousey v Correia weigh-in at HSBC Arena on July 31, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Now we move into the more positive categories, with ‘Good’ and the likes of Francis Ngannou and Michael Bisping. The Cameroonian fighter is the current heavyweight champion and has been for over a year, so could move up the list in the future. Bisping had a dominate career, but his back-to-back losses in his final fights have probably hampered his progression on the list.
‘Future Legends’ are next, with Kamaru Usman and Nate Diaz leading names in the category. Usman brutally lost his title recently to Leon Edwards, but he’ll be back after building a legacy in the sport already. Nate Diaz is a controversial name here given he is yet to become a UFC champion, but he certainly has the ability to.
Kamaru Usman lost to Leon Edwards in their rematch in the main event of UFC 278
The penultimate category is where the debate really starts to heat up, Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov feature here, with the pair taking the sport to new levels, with Khabib retiring undefeated, he has to be here. McGregor on the other hand, has taken some damage to his record lately, but what he has done for the sport can’t be underestimated.
Finally, we are down to the GOAT of UFC, with the tiermaker designer putting Jon Jones as their GOAT. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest champions the UFC has ever had and winning 26 from his 27 fights, it would take a brave soul to bet against him being the GOAT.
See the full tier list here:
