Anderson Silva's coach names the 3 GOATs of MMA; leaves out UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's striking coach Dr. Jason Park claimed that Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Georges St-Pierre are the 3 fighters who should be considered as GOATS of MMA - not Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Park's list surprisingly excluded the #1 UFC pound-for-pound fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov. He said that the legacy left behind by Jon Jones, GSP, and Anderson Silva is unparalleled and that the trio has elevated the sport, which makes them the greatest fighters of all time.
Speaking to The Schmo, this is what Dr. Park had to say:
"Who else has elevated the game apart from Anderson Silva, GSP, and Jon Jones? Those are the three GOATs. There's no one else"
There has been a lot of debate recently surrounding who should be considered the greatest fighter in UFC history. Whenever there are talks regarding the GOAT in MMA, names like Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, and Khabib Nurmagomedov inevitably come to mind.
In terms of most number of successful title defenses inside the Octagon, Jon Jones leads the pack with 14 successful defenses. GSP is a close second with 13 title wins but since he's retired and Jones is still fighting, the latter could very well stay on the top for a few more years. Mighty Mouse comes in at third with 12 successful defenses and Anderson Silva has 11 title wins.
Where does Khabib Nurmagomedov rank in the GOAT conversation?
Another fighter that makes the GOAT debate is the undisputed and undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Even though the Russian has only three successful title defenses under his belt, what makes a strong case for Nurmagomedov is the fact that he has a perfect 29-0 record in MMA and has lost just one round in his entire career.
In a recent conversation with The Schmo, Anderson Silva himself said that Khabib Nurmagomedov is his favorite fighter in the UFC currently and there's no doubt that Nurmagomedov certainly deserves to be recognized as one of the best fighters to ever step inside the Octagon.
Check out Anderson Silva's conversation with The Schmo below.