Dana White names controversial 'Mount Rushmore' list of top UFC fighters and leaves out some key names
09/10/2024 05:40 AM
Dana White opted not to include a number of legendary world champions when he named his MMA ‘Mount Rushmore’ this week.
The UFC CEO picked Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and Georges St-Pierre for his list, much to the surprise of many fans on social media. McGregor and Rousey both proved controversial picks, given their relatively short periods of dominance in the sport.
Choosing those four fighters forced White to leave out a number of legends, including the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Anderson Silva and the recently retired Demetrious Johnson. But he stuck with his list, and detailed why he chose each person.
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Dana White names controversial MMA Mount Rushmore
Speaking with ESPN ahead of this weekend’s UFC 306 event, Dana White was asked to name his Mount Rushmore of MMA. He has been in charge of the UFC since 2001, and was previously working as a manager for some of the sport’s biggest names.
However, none of his early stars such as Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz made the list as he instead opted for faces primarily from the mid-2010s. And it also appears that White values cultural impact as much, if not more than actual record in the octagon.
Detailing his reasonings for his picks, White made a jokingly aggressive point of naming Jones as his first choice. He has been notorious in recent months for his insistence on letting fans know that he views the former light-heavyweight and current heavyweight champion as the greatest fighter in the world.
Further to Jones, he added: “You’ve got to go with Ronda Rousey because women would not be fighting in the UFC if it were not for her. You would have to put GSP in there as well, and absolutely, positively, Conor McGregor. He elevated and changed the game globally.”
Fans react as Dana White names MMA Mount Rushmore
White’s list proved divisive with fans on social media, who felt that some of his choices were not made for the right reasons. However, there were also others who felt that his more controversial picks like McGregor and Rousey, whose reigns atop the sport were brief, made sense due to cultural impact.
One fan summed it up with his feelings on White’s selection process, commenting: “Basically the ones who made him the most money.” Another added to that, claiming it’s “Crazy how Dana is one of the biggest casuals out there,” for naming Rousey and McGregor on the list.
While some felt that Amanda Nunes or Demetrious Johnson deserved a spot, the one name that repeatedly came up was Khabib Nurmagomedov. Many feel that at 29-0 and a former lightweight champion with multiple defences, he should have been on the list.
“Dana is a freaking joke,” one angry commenter wrote. “Khabib is the one who really changed the game and showed the world how effective his grappling and wresting is in MMA much much more than striking. Dana is biased and very unfair.”
