Khabib Nurmagomedov – Page 48 – Syndication Server

Firas Zahabi: ‘I would be surprised if Khabib ever gets more than one takedown’ on Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre is “a difficult human being to keep down” – but even against Khabib?

Firas Zahabi doesn’t think [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] would be able to implement his game plan in a hypothetical fight against [autotag]Georges St-Pierre[/autotag].

Speaking on the “FightTips” podcast, Zahabi said he doesn’t think that UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC), would be able to keep his star student, former two-division UFC champ St-Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC), down on the mat

“Even if Khabib would take Georges down, let’s give the best case scenario: I think Georges is getting up, personally,” Zahabi said. “He’s going to get up. Georges’ jiu-jitsu is impeccable. It’s impeccable. It’s not going to be like holding down anybody in the 155-pound division today. It’s another level. Georges, even if Khabib gets him down – and I love Khabib, I’m a mega Khabib fan, as a person and as a fighter, huge fan of his – Georges’ ability to get up is incredible, and I would be surprised if Khabib ever gets more than one takedown. It would shock me. It would surprise me, to be honest.”

St-Pierre, who remarkably had no collegiate or major wrestling background, is widely considered as one of the best wrestlers in MMA history, leading the all-time statistic for most takedowns landed throughout his career at 90.

He also has barely ever spent time on his back, which is why Zahabi thinks that stylistically, Numragomedov wouldn’t be able to display his usual dominant style of grappling.

“Georges is incredibly hard to take down,” Zahabi said. “Look at his career: How many times has he been taken down? And when he was taken down, how long did he stay down? It was a fraction of a second. He’s always up. He’s a difficult human being to keep down.”

[lawrence-related id=475335,448558]

And if the grappling is neutralized for both fighters, they’d be forced to stand and trade, and Zahabi would give the edge to St-Pierre in the striking.

“There’s no way I can tell you I’m not biased – I’m biased for sure,” he said. “But I think Georges’ kicking ability alone will bank him in rounds. They’re both good jabbers, actually. I think Khabib is a good jabber. But I think defensively, Georges is far superior – defensively. His boxing is longer and better, more precise. If you look at it statistically, I think Georges’ numbers are better, and he has a superior kicking ability.”

But at 38, the longtime former welterweight king has nothing left to prove. One of the greatest fighters of all time, St-Pierre made a comeback in 2017 and took out Michael Bisping to claim the UFC’s middleweight title. While Zahabi wouldn’t rule out a St-Pierre return, it would have to be a fight that motivates him.

An undefeated 28-0 Nurmagomedov could just be that fight, but they’d have to meet somewhere halfway, or in a non-title welterweight bout.

“I don’t think he’s done,” Zahabi said. “I just think he’s so competitive that one day he’s going to see a guy that everybody think is unbeatable, and he’s going to want to come back. Khabib is one of those guys, but it has to be a 165 fight. Will the UFC do it? That’s the question.

“Georges doesn’t want to be champion at welterweight anymore because that means he would have to defend the title every three or four months, which I think that lifestyle, he’s done with.”

[jwplayer UA8TfXGj-RbnemIYZ]

Ali Abdelaziz on potential Nurmagomedov-McGregor rematch: ‘Conor’s not on our radar’

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz says Conor McGregor isn’t a factor in his client’s future fighting plans.

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] may be targeting a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov later in 2020 – and Dana White may be on board with the idea – but it seems [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag]’s camp aren’t interested in facing the man “The Eagle” finished at UFC 229 last year.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz said he understood why the UFC president is linking McGregor with a potential rematch for the UFC lightweight title, but also stated that the Irishman wasn’t in the Russian champion’s immediate plans.

“Listen, Dana’s the greatest promoter in history (and) I respect the man very much,” he said. “He has to make people care about Conor. And by mentioning Khabib’s name, he is making Conor more relevant. It’s OK. He promote, can do whatever. Khabib has a plan, Dana has a plan, sometimes we’ll get upset, sometimes we’ll agree. But business moves on.

“But Conor’s not on our radar. He might lose to “Cowboy” as far as I understand. I think he might lose.”

[lawrence-related id=477592,477137]

Abdelaziz also said he was unimpressed by recent photos showing McGregor in excellent shape ahead of his UFC 246 return against Donald Cerrone on Jan. 18, and said that all the pre-fight talk from the Irishman’s camp should be taken with a pinch of salt ahead of the fight.

“Listen, his coaches before the fight (with Nurmagomedov) said: ‘He’s ready, he’s gonna knock Khabib out inside three rounds, he’s never been in better shape.’ And after that, they said: they had a horrible camp, his food was like a balloon. They’re liars.

“He looks like a blew-out balloon. He’s a bodybuilder. That’s what I think. He’s getting no love from us.”

[vertical-gallery id=355186]

And with Abdelaziz stating that McGregor wasn’t in position to challenge his client later this year, he suggested another one of his fighting stable was a more worthy contender to Nurmagomedov’s UFC lightweight crown.

“What about guys like Justin Gaethje?” he suggested. “He’s been winning and knocking people out. Logically, he is (the next top contender). He’s ranked number three. Number two, Dustin Poirier, fought for the title. That’s the only fight that makes sense for him, for his career, to fight the champion.”

[lawrence-related id=477631,458101,450345]

Gaethje has made no secret of his desire to face McGregor inside the octagon, but Abdelaziz says the UFC has made a wise move by keeping the Irish superstar well away from the former WSOF champion and his hard-nosed, come-forward fighting style.

“Listen, Conor does not want to have to do anything with Gaethje,” he said. “We understand, like I said, Gaethje takes a lot of people into deep water. We understand Conor is a quitter – he quit when he was in deep water. The UFC made the right choice not to (have Conor) fight Gaethje, because he would have beat his ass. Simple.”

[vertical-gallery id=446063]

Conor McGregor: Khabib Nurmagomedov scared to rematch, thinks he was winning at UFC 229

Conor McGregor: “I just smell (expletive). That’s all it is. He’s afraid, and that’s it.”

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] may have lost the first battle against [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag], but the former UFC champion thinks the war is far from over.

In his first interview since his UFC 246 comeback was made official, McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) told TheMacLife.com he thinks Nurmagomedov is scared of a potential rematch.

“(Nurmagomedov) is trembling,” McGregor said. “That man is trembling. He doesn’t want it. He doesn’t want it. You get it. He’s trying not to lose it again … I just smell (expletive). That’s all it is. He’s afraid, and that’s it. Everyone wants it. The boss wants it – Dana (White) wants it. We all want it. He can run, but he cannot hide. I look forward to it.”

The two fighters squared off in October 2018 at UFC 229, where Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) submitted McGregor in the fourth round. The finish was quickly put on the back burner when Nurmagomedov jumped into the crowd and initiated a post-fight melee with McGregor’s corner.

Up until the finish, McGregor thinks he was winning the majority of the fight. The Irishman pointed to a statistical advantage in the striking department and said Nurmagomedov hadn’t done much with his takedowns prior to the finishing sequence.

“In my mind, I won Round 1,” McGregor said. “I outstruck him 3-1. OK, he had position on that mat – but I outstruck him 3-1. What did he do in the first round? Second round, look at the lackadaisical approach I had to him. He was just running around the outside of the cage. He got that lucky shot and had a great second round. What happened after that? I was winning the third round, (and) even in the opening exchanges in the fourth round. I was winning the fourth round up until that trip.”

[lawrence-related id=477574,477183]

Another factor that led to his defeat, McGregor said, was a poor training camp. McGregor pointed at himself and blamed his disrespect toward those around him for his UFC 229 demise.

“That (loss) was after a horrendous camp where I was so disrespectful to the people that believe in me,” McGregor said. “I was disrespectful to my team with my lack of commitment, and I still went out and done that.

“Then, I also landed a blow on his blood brother and his cousin, so we’re happy with it. It’ll come back to him. Like I said, he can run but he can’t hide … No, no, no: It’s far from (over).”

McGregor returns to action at UFC 246 against Donald Cerrone in a welterweight main event. UFC 246 takes place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

[vertical-gallery id=355186]

[vertical-gallery id=390041]

20 fight finishes that shaped the 2010s in MMA

This list is filled with shocking and sensational knockouts and submissions from the 2010s.

Given that my colleagues already have done a fantastic job of covering everything from the top fighters to the top moments of the decade, I figured I’d contribute to the retrospective content by examining some of the more memorable fight finishes from the last 10 years – parsing out technical trends and evolution while paying homage to performances that are worthy of the ole “Baba O’Riley” highlight reel.

As you’d hope with any maturing sport, the cultural fist-fighting phenomena that is MMA has improved from many perspectives.

Aside from the obvious growth of audience and accessibility, the quality of fighting, in general, has seen a sure-and-steady uptick since 2010 – particularly in the athleticism department. In fact, you could argue that one of the quiet benefits to the global expansion and corporate interest-era of this past decade is the increase in the level of athletes we’re seeing accumulate in MMA’s proverbial talent pools.

Not only have more Olympic medalists and collegiate athletes successfully made the jump to mixed martial arts, but we’ve also seen small countries like Surname or unassuming giants like China make their mark in regards to flexing their athletic powers. Coupled with the ever-growing index of techniques (from fighting to fight prep), and we’ve been privy to fighters – from all around the world – finding increasingly fun and explosive ways to finish fights.

Since it’s practically impossible to include all of the best fight finishes from the past 10 years, I decided to limit myself to 20 selections that I believe helped shape the state of fighting over the last 10 years.

Without further ado …

****

‘Shogun Rua’ knocks out Lyoto Machida

‘Shogun’ Rua and Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. (Getty Images)

Date: May 6, 2010
Event: UFC 113

With Frankie Edgar dethroning B.J. Penn just one month prior, the decade starts off with what are the beginnings of a trend in regards to “auras of invincibility” being shattered, as well as stylistic conundrums being figured out. And sure enough, after finishing the previous decade off with a sour decision at UFC 104, [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] exacted his revenge in 2010 by emphatically ending the undefeated streak of then-light heavyweight champion [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] at UFC 113.

Not only did Rua build off of his previous successes of low kicks and right hands to eventually find the crashing counter, but he also provided a useful blueprint for future fighters when it comes to dealing with karate stylists in mixed martial arts (see Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page or Anthony Pettis vs. Stephen Thompson).

Fabricio Werdum submits Fedor Emelianenko

Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko in 2010. (Getty Images)

Date: June 26, 2010
Event: Strikeforce/M-1 Global: “Fedor vs. Werdum”

As I mentioned, 2010 in MMA was essentially the first few seasons of “Game of Thrones” wrapped into one year in regards to watching our heroes fall.

[autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag], who finishes 2009 with a surprisingly competitive fight with Brett Rogers, starts off the decade with a rude reminder from [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] that the guard still works in mixed martial arts.

At this particular time in the sport, the jiu-jitsu guard was trending down both in popularity and proven application at the highest levels; therefore seeing someone like Fedor (of all people) falling into the grappling honeytrap was incredibly surprising. To Werdum’s credit, he masterfully played possum like an NBA player trying to draw an offensive foul, further placating Fedor’s strong sense of security from topside – something that ultimately cost the Russian his legendary winning streak.

Anderson Silva submits Chael Sonnen

Date: Aug. 7, 2010
Event: UFC 117

It’s hard to forget fights that happen on your birthday, especially when it comes to classics like this one.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag], who had surprised me with his brand of promotional candor since his WEC victory over Bryan Baker, ended up surprising us all by backing up his words when taking on the great [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] at UFC 117.

After four-plus rounds of domination from Sonnen, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Silva was going by the wayside like Fedor, Penn and Machida had done months before him. However, despite being down on the scorecards (as well as sporting an injured rib), Silva shows off elite, clutch-player sensibilities that would make the likes of Michael Jordan or Reggie Miller proud, as the then-UFC champ secured a triangle-armbar submission in the fifth round that reminded us all there are no safe spaces in MMA so long as there’s time on the clock.

Edson Barboza TKOs Mike Lullo

Date: Nov. 20, 2010
Event: UFC 123

Legend bashing wasn’t the only thing going on in MMA back in 2010, as there were fighters like [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag] stepping onto the scene to help start/reinforce the trend of leg bashing.

Sure, the decade prior had a solid offering of leg kickers like Pedro Rizzo, Pat Barry and Antoni Hardonk, but it’s hard to ignore that those men were all heavyweights while Barboza – the only fighter to officially earn two leg-kick TKOs under the UFC banner – is a lightweight.

Of course, Jose Aldo’s domination over Urijah Faber at WEC 48 would’ve also been a great example to list if it fit the bill for a fight finish, but it’s ultimately hard to deny Barboza’s consistent commitment to killing his opposition with kicks, as well as his contributions toward this decade’s trend of attacking the legs.

Pages: 12345

Top fighters of the 2010s discussion: Why is Conor McGregor ranked above Khabib?

Khabib Nurmagomedov dominated Conor McGregor and finished the decade undefeated, so what gives? The MMA Junkie gang debates.

Deciding on the top 10 fighters over an entire decade is an invitation for an open-ended debate.

Throw in a mandate from MMA Junkie managing editor Simon Samano that each person on the staff was free to set their own criteria on what qualifies as worthy of consideration for the decade’s best list, and a staff that pulls from a wide variety of ages stationed all around the globe, and you have plenty of leeway for a diverse variety of selections.

The end result was a vibrant list, one that demands more conversation. So we gathered MMA Junkie’s Las Vegas crew — MMA Junkie Radio personalities “Gorgeous” George and “Goze,” fight analyst Dan Tom, and lead reporter John Morgan — to debate the results of our top 10 fighters of the 2010s in a roundtable format.

[lawrence-related id=472295,472105,475128]

In this segment, the guys discuss one of the most controversial results of our ranking: How did [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (No. 5) end up ahead of [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (No. 8)? For one thing, Nurmagomedov dominated McGregor in their UFC 229 bout before submitting him in the fourth round. And for another, Nurmagomedov has never lost a fight, while McGregor dropped two fights in the decade. So what gives?

Watch the video above to hear the crew’s take on this situation. And to watch the full roundtable, check out the video below.

[jwplayer vIq7y58x-RbnemIYZ]

Way-too-early top 10 MMA fighters of the 2020s

Israel Adesanya is among the fighters who could finish the 2020s as one of the decade’s best.

I’m sure you’ve checked out MMA Junkie’s countdown of our fighters of the decade for the 2010s and have your own opinion on who would have made your list and what order you would have listed them. Now, with a new decade upon us, it’s time to look forward and ponder which names might dominate the MMA landscape over the course of the next 10 years.

And that hugely important job of pugilistic prognosticator fell to yours truly as I pick up the baton and attempt to compile a list of fighters who could lead our fighters of the decade list from 2020-2029.

So here, in no particular order, are my 10 selections in this way-too-early list:

****

Jon Jones

Let’s not mess around here. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, and there’s nobody on the horizon that’s likely to change that soon. And with Jones dominating the UFC’s light heavyweight division, a brand-new chapter could soon open up for “Bones” when he takes the plunge and moves up to heavyweight.

Skill-wise, there’s no doubt he has everything in his locker to be every bit as dominant at heavyweight as he currently is at 205 pounds, but there’s always that X-factor of heavyweight punching power. Jones tends to drag his opponents into deep water, but at heavyweight it only takes one shot to end your night.

To that end, at 32, Jones’ style has avoided taking damage for the bulk of his career. Heavyweights tend to last longer and peak later than other weight classes: Witness Daniel Cormier holding the UFC belt past age 40. Current champ Stipe Miocic is 37, and his first reign began when he beat a then-38-year-old Fabricio Werdum.

[lawrence-related id=474917,475128]

The challenge that lies ahead for Jones is arguably the most fascinating – and dangerous – of his MMA career. And the matchups he’ll face over the course of the coming years will make for some of the most-watched fights of the decade.

He was our No. 1 fighter for the 2010s, and he’s my early-money favorite to finish the 2020s as not only MMA Junkie’s fighter of the decade once again, but also as the consensus greatest mixed martial artist that ever lived.

[jwplayer J6VXWWCi-RbnemIYZ]

Pages: 12345678910

Top 10 MMA fighters of the 2010s: Discussion video, facts about our list

How did we reach our overall list, and did we get it right?

In pitching the MMA Junkie staff on coming up with a composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the 2010s, I had people asking me about the criteria. My answer was simple: There is no criteria. Whatever you think it means to be among the 10 greatest fighters of the last decade, that’s the criteria.

To me, it’s better this way. I could’ve emphasized in-cage results, in which case No. 1 ends up being [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] without question. Same for emphasizing impact on the sport: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] comes out on top easily. But what fun would that have been? There’s so much more to consider when trying to pick the top 10 fighters of the last 10 years among a pool of talent that never has been better.

The beauty of our list is that all 14 MMA Junkie staff members, who’ve spent so many years covering the sport, submitted individual top 10 lists. No discussion, no debate, no one person’s bias determined our final rankings. We all had a say in this. From there, it was a matter of mathematics – add up points for each fighter ranked and divide by 14 to determine the final rankings.

Did we get it right? There’s no such thing with these lists. But I’d like to think ours is as official as it gets.

For reaction to our top 10, watch the roundtable discussion video above with MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Below is a ranking of all 26 fighters included, as well as notes about our list.

COMPLETE RANKINGS

1. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]
2. [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag]
3. [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag]
4. [autotag]Georges St. Pierre[/autotag]
5. Conor McGregor
6. [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]
7. [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag]
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov
9. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]
10. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]
11. [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag]
12. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]
13. [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag]
14. [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]
15. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]
16. [autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag]
17. [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]
18. [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag]
19-t. [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]
19-t. [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag]
21. [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]
22-t. [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag]
22-t. [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag]
24. [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag]
25. [autotag]Carlos Condit[/autotag]
26. [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag]

NOTES

26 different fighters were included in at least one staff member’s top 10
8 different fighters were included in only one ranking
Individual No. 1 rankings: Jon Jones (7), Demetrious Johnson (3), Georges St-Pierre (2), Daniel Cormier (1), Ronda Rousey (1)
Cormier was the only fighter to be included in each of the 14 rankings.
Jones and Conor McGregor each were excluded from one staff member’s list.
Of 8 fighters included in only one ranking, Cain Velasquez was highest (No. 3); Eddie Alvarez was lowest (No. 10).

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Mike Bohn, senior reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Jose Aldo
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Anderson Silva
6. Conor McGregor
7. Max Holloway
8. Tony Ferguson
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Daniel Cormier

Dave Doyle, senior editor
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Daniel Cormier
3, Jon Jones
4. Anderson Silva
5. Georges St-Pierre
6. Cris Cyborg
7. Jose Aldo
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov
9. Conor McGregor
10. Eddie Alvarez

Matt Erickson, assistant managing editor
1. Daniel Cormier
2. Demetrious Johnson
3. Amanda Nunes
4. Conor McGregor
5. Max Holloway
6. Patricio Freire
7. Ronda Rousey
8. Georges St-Pierre
9. Ryan Bader
10. Jose Aldo

Brian Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Jon Jones
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Henry Cejudo
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Khabib Nurmagomedov
7. Stipe Miocic
8. Amanda Nunes
9. Max Holloway
10. Ryan Bader

George Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host
1. Jon Jones
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Amanda Nunes
7. Cris Cyborg
8. Stipe Miocic
9. Conor McGregor
10. Henry Cejudo

Farah Hannoun, reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Ronda Rousey
3. Conor McGregor
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Amanda Nunes
8. Max Holloway
9. Stipe Miocic
10. Henry Cejudo

Ken Hathaway, senior video editor
1. Jon Jones
2. Amanda Nunes
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Max Holloway
5. Conor McGregor
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Georges St-Pierre
8. Anderson Silva
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Cris Cyborg

Simon Head, reporter
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Daniel Cormier
3. Jon Jones
4. Amanda Nunes
5. Donald Cerrone
6. Georges St-Pierre
7. Conor McGregor
8. Douglas Lima
9. Cris Cyborg
10. Michael Bisping

Nolan King, reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Daniel Cormier
3. Amanda Nunes
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Max Holloway
6. Stipe Miocic
7. Georges St. Pierre
8. Jose Aldo
9. Conor McGregor
10. Khabib Nurmagomedov

John Morgan, lead staff reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Conor McGregor
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Daniel Cormier
6. Demetrious Johnson
7. Amanda Nunes
8. Jose Aldo
9. Michael Bisping
10. Donald Cerrone

Simon Samano, managing editor
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Jon Jones
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
6. Amanda Nunes
7. Tony Ferguson
8. Conor McGregor
9. Ronda Rousey
10. Max Holloway

Danny Segura, reporter
1. Ronda Rousey
2. Jon Jones
3. Cain Velasquez
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Jose Aldo
7. Cris Cyborg
8. Conor McGregor
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Daniel Cormier

Abbey Subhan, video editor
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Conor McGregor
3. Jon Jones
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Amanda Nunes
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Frankie Edgar
8. Anderson Silva
9. Carlos Condit
10. Ronda Rousey

Dan Tom, fight analyst
1. Jon Jones
2. Jose Aldo
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov
4. Dominick Cruz
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Conor McGregor
7. Ronda Rousey
8. Daniel Cormier
9. Max Holloway
10. Tony Ferguson

Top 10 MMA fighters of the 2010s

Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones are among those selected by MMA Junkie as the greatest fighters of the decade.

The 2010s, arguably the most important decade in the history of mixed martial arts, is coming to a close. One reason why the years 2010 to 2019 have been so pivotal to the sport is the sheer talent that exists across all divisions – men and women, from flyweight (which didn’t even exist until February 2012) to heavyweight. Simply put, the number of great fighters to grace cages and rings across the world never has been higher.

Here at MMA Junkie, we’ve put together a composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the past decade. All 14 staff members submitted personal top-10 lists to create our overall list. Rest assured: We took this seriously.

Without further ado, our complete list:

10. Max Holloway

[jwplayer OiSwEOOD-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 21-5
UFC featherweight champion: June 3, 2017-Dec. 14, 2019
13-fight winning streak
Key victories over Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo (twice), Brian Ortega, Frankie Edgar

9. Jose Aldo

[jwplayer T72WHk3L-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 12-5
WEC featherweight champion: April 24, 2010-Sept. 30, 2010
UFC featherweight champion: Oct. 28, 2010-Dec. 12, 2015; July 9, 2016-June 3, 2017
9-fight winning streak
Key victories over Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, Chad Mendes (twice), Frankie Edgar (twice), Chan Sung Jung

8. Khabib Nurmagomedov

[jwplayer y30zaWDp-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 21-0
UFC lightweight champion: April 7, 2018-present
Key victories: Rafael dos Anjos, Al Iaquinta, Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier

7. Ronda Rousey

[jwplayer dCL2oc6k-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 12-2
Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion: March 3, 2012-Aug. 18, 2012
UFC women’s bantamweight champion: Feb. 23, 2013-Nov. 15, 2015
12-fight winning streak
Key victories: Miesha Tate (twice), Liz Carmouche, Sara McMann

6. Amanda Nunes

[jwplayer JJKKErpq-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 15-3
UFC women’s bantamweight champion: Dec. 30, 2016-present
UFC women’s featherweight champion: Dec. 29, 2018-present
10-fight winning streak
Key victories: Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm

5. Conor McGregor

[jwplayer uJ11p5Au-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 18-3
UFC featherweight champion: July 11, 2015-Nov. 26, 2016
UFC lightweight champion: Nov. 12, 2016-April 7, 2018
15-fight winning streak
Key victories: Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, Eddie Alvarez

4. Georges St-Pierre

[jwplayer UA8TfXGj-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 7-0
UFC welterweight champion: Jan. 1, 2010-Dec. 13, 2013
UFC middleweight champion: Nov. 4, 2017-Dec. 7, 2017
Key victories: Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jake Shields, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks, Michael Bisping

3. Daniel Cormier

[jwplayer Ydqz2oOt-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 21-2
UFC light heavyweight champion: May 23, 2015-Dec. 28, 2018
UFC heavyweight champion: July 7, 2018-Aug. 17, 2019
15-fight winning streak
Key victories: Josh Barnett, Frank Mir, Dan Henderson, Anthony Johnson (twice), Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva, Stipe Miocic, Derrick Lewis

2. Demetrious Johnson

[jwplayer ZkRRq52l-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 22-3-1
UFC flyweight champion: Sept. 22, 2012-Aug. 4, 2018
ONE championship flyweight grand prix winner
13-fight winning streak, including UFC record for consecutive title defenses (11)
Key victories: Joseph Benavidez (twice), John Dodson (twice), Henry Cejudo, Kyoji Horiguchi, Ray Borg

1. Jon Jones

[jwplayer J6VXWWCi-RbnemIYZ]

Decade resume

Record: 16-0
UFC light heavyweight champion: March 19, 2011-April 28, 2015; April 23, 2016-Nov. 9, 2016 (interim); Dec. 29, 2018-present
Key victories: Ryan Bader, “Shogun” Rua, “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Alexander Gustafsson (twice), Daniel Cormier

‘Whoever wins that fight is the best ever’: Chael Sonnen likes Tony Ferguson’s chances against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 249

Chael Sonnen says he thinks Tony Ferguson could present Khabib Nurmagomedov his toughest test to date at UFC 249.

[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] could be [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag]’s toughest test to date and says the winner could legitimately lay claim to being the greatest lightweight in UFC history.

Speaking to RT Sport, ESPN analyst Sonnen offered his take on the upcoming fight between UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) and former interim champion Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) at UFC 249 on Apr. 18.

“You know, it’s very hard to pick against Khabib with what you’ve seen and I must also share with you I have a bias towards Tony because we are former teammates,” said Sonnen, before revealing: “I do really like Tony’s chances going into this, and I like them more and more as the fight gets closer.”

Ferguson, like Nurmagomedov, is on a 12-fight win streak in the UFC. His wild and unpredictable style has led to 20 career finishes, including a hat-trick of finishes in his last three outings against Kevin Lee, former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis, and Donald Cerrone.

Undefeated Nurmagomedov has mauled everyone put in front of him, including back-to-back submissions over former two-division king Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier.

And, considering both men’s resumes, Sonnen says the fight is particularly tricky to call.

“When you’re 28-0 in any division, man, you claim that division,” he said. “Particularly when you are the world champion and he already got some heavy lifting out of the way on the way to the title. If you go back and look at the names that he beat – 10-8 rounds against guys, two or three 10-8 rounds against (Edson) Barboza, just by example – this guy is a hammer. But you are talking about Tony Ferguson – that’s a whole other animal.”

“He’ll attack you from the back, he’ll attack you on the walkout, you don’t know what Tony Ferguson would do. I would never count him out. Whoever wins that fight is the best ever.”

🗣 'I do really like Tony's chances going into this'@ChaelSonnen speaks on Khabib vs. Ferguson! #UFC249 pic.twitter.com/rib8niW9w4

— RT Sport (@RTSportNews) December 24, 2019

[vertical-gallery id=390685]

‘Super Khabib’: UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov gets Super Mario-style makeover, and it’s brilliant

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov gets a Super Mario-style 8-bit video game makeover, and it’s brilliant.

You can call off Call Of Duty. Red Dead Redemption is dead in the water. Gears of War? Pah! This is the only video game we want in our Christmas stocking.

This is “Super Khabib”, RT Sport‘s Super Mario-inspired rendering of UFC lightweight champ [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] as the Dagestani demolition man embarks on his adventures through an 8-bit world that sees him dodging bears, collecting power-up papakhas and going face to face with the notorious end-of-level boss, Conor McGregor (or “Console McGregor” if you prefer).

As you’d expect, McGregor is a formidable foe, hurling bottles of whiskey and bellowing his in-game catchphrase: “Proper Twelve!” as he attempts to thwart “Super Khabib’s” progress.

But, just like in real life, the intrepid explorer, who appears to be as undefeated in the 8-bit world as he is in the MMA world, gets the better of McGregor to reach the championship belt and the next level.

The video ends there, but we assume Level 2 involves some sort of desert scene, with perhaps a camel or two, followed by a battle with Dustin Poirier before heading on to Level 3, where “Super Khabib” takes on a sunglass-wearing, forward-rolling, cable-dodging, elbow-throwing Tony Ferguson.

And if Nintendo, Microsoft or Sony want to go ahead and make “Super Khabib” a video game reality we’d be more than happy for them to send an advance copy to us here at The Blue Corner.

Of course, we’ll send the location.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.