'Big' John McCarthy explains why Khabib Nurmagomedov cannot be considered the MMA GOAT
Khabib Nurmagomedov has been named the most dominant fighter to ever compete in the octagon by 'Big' John McCarthy. However, the former referee detailed why the Russian cannot be called the greatest of all time.
'The Eagle' retired from the sport at 32 with a flawless record of 29-0. Nonetheless, despite winning almost every round he competed in during his time with the UFC, many exclude him from the GOAT conversation. The lightweight decided to exit MMA after making a promise to his mother following the unfortunate death of his father.
While discussing Dana White's top five all-time comments, John McCarthy weighed in and gave his opinion on who should be considered the greatest to ever compete in the sport, saying:
"I don't disagree with him at all [Dana White claiming Khabib isn't the MMA GOAT]. I think that he did retire too early. I've always said the most dominant fighter I've seen in the cage has been Khabib. He dominated great fighters, 10-8 rounds, consistently at times, [but] Jon Jones is the most talented fighter that I've seen in the cage."
He detailed his claim, stating:
"Here's the big difference: Jon Jones has had 15 title fights. How many title fights does Khabib have? That's a huge difference, and I think that's what Dana is talking about. I think Jon Jones is [the best ever]."
With an almost perfect record of 26-1-1, Jon Jones can comfortably be recognized as the best to ever fight for the UFC. His sole loss came via disqualification when, in a fight he dominated, he was adjudged to have landed illegal elbows on his downed opponent.
Check out what John McCarthy and podcast co-host Josh Thomson had to say about the MMA GOAT conversation:
Why isn't Khabib Nurmagomedov considered the greatest of all time?
Despite his sheer dominance in the cage, Khabib Nurmagomedov's 13 UFC wins dating back to 2012 are thought to not be enough to place him alongside some of the giants in MMA.
His lack of elite competition holds him back. Khabib Nurmagomedov only faced a handful of high-level opponents during his time in the sport. Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje are three of his best opponents, with Rafael dos Anjos and Edson Barboza serving as honorable mentions