Conor McGregor recently compiled a controversial list of the fighters he believes to be the greatest in the history of mixed martial arts.
Conor McGregor has explained his reasoning for omitting Khabib Nurmagomedov from his list of greatest fighters of all time. This past weekend, the UFC’s first simultaneous two-weigh world champion sparked fierce debate amongst mixed martial arts fans across the globe.
Top of McGregor’s ‘GOAT’ list was former long-reigning middleweight king Anderson Silva.
McGregor placed himself second in the list, ahead of former welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre and reigning light-heavyweight king Jon Jones.
McGregor’s decision to rank himself ahead of St-Pierre and Jones irked many, who were quick to point out both men have beaten the who’s who of their respective divisions and have multiple title defences to their names.
The omission of the undefeated Nurmagomedov – the reigning lightweight champion – also a few eyebrows.
Unsurprisingly, McGregor was asked where he ranks Nurmagomedov in his list of all-time greats.
And he didn’t hold back when explaining why he doesn’t hold his bitter rival’s 28-0 record in high regard.
Fancy record but a way to go before any GOAT entry, he tweeted.
Only HL is [a] win over me with [a] hangover and [a] broken foot.
Other than that, made [Al] Iaquinta’s career with [a] bad performance before [Donald] Cerrone ended it again.
3rds to get Poirier out. 0 array of finishes. Bottled many bouts. Zero else of note.
Prior to his latest dig at Nurmagomedov, McGregor was on the receiving end of a deriding tweet from his successor at the summit of the lightweight division.
“You tapped out in featherweight, you tapped out in lightweight and you tapped in welterweight,” Nurmagomedov tweeted.
McGregor has seemingly earmarked July for the second outing of his 2020 “season”, in which he hopes to lock horns with newly-crowned interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
A few days removed from Gaethje’s UFC 249 victory over Tony Ferguson, he tweeted: “It’s me and Justin next as Khabib is the biggest bottle fighter in the game. Guarantee it.
He added: “Justin, there is no danger in a man that hugs legs, we all know. Try and dance around what the real threat is here all you want. I am going to f*****g butcher you.
“Your teeth. I’m going to put them on a f****** necklace. Speak on my skills as a father? You are f*****g dead.”
