Israel Adesanya names Conor McGregor but snubs Khabib Nurmagomedov in greatest UFC fighters of all time list
01/30/2025 08:02 AM
Israel Aesanya might rank as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time, but where he ranks his greatest fighters could have MMA fans up in arms.
‘The Last Stylebender’ held six title defenses and two title reigns in the middleweight division and, at one point, looked untouchable. Such was his dominance in the middleweight division that Adesanya challenged for double-champ status against Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight throne. Blachowicz outpointed Adesanya, handing him his first professional defeat.
The loss didn’t linger on the minds of UFC fans, who knew Adesanya’s bread was buttered in the middleweight division. This was until Alex Pereira took Adesanya’s belt at UFC 281. Pereira lost the rematch, but Adesanya hasn’t been the same, dropping two fights since.
Now, in his first non-UFC title fight since 2019 at UFC Riyadh, Adesanya has the luxury of sitting on the championship sidelines. From here, he’s taken the opportunity to rank his greatest UFC fighters.
Israel Adesanya ranks his UFC Mount Rushmore
Speaking to collective media at the UFC Riyadh media day, Adesanya was prompted to name his MMA Mount Rushmore. Adesanya named Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and Georges St-Pierre as his five names. However, Adesanya clarified his list varies based on his temperament.
“I had Chuck Liddell in there yesterday,” Adesanya said. “Because of the impact he had in the game as a fighter.”
One reporter asked Adesanya why he didn’t mention Khabib Nurmagomedov, to which Adesanya replied that his list isn’t set in stone.
“He’s one of the greatest, of course,” Adesanya remarked. “Like I said, yesterday I mentioned Chuck Liddell. Khabib’s another guy who’s one of the greatest of all time…”
High-stakes fight for Israel Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia
Adesanya takes on Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on February 1. No. 5-ranked middleweight Imavov holds a 7-1 (1NC) UFC record, most recently snapping Brendan Allen’s seven-fight winning streak in September 2024.
‘The Sniper’ rides a three-fight winning streak, mixing his slick boxing with forward pressure to overwhelm his opponents. It’s do-or-die for Adesanya, who could face three losses in a row with a defeat, which would throw him straight back into the lower-ranked middleweight meat-grinder.
A loss for Adesanya would mark one of the largest falls from grace in recent UFC history. Though fans are all too familiar with the feeling, watching great fighters like BJ Penn, Tony Ferguson, and Cody Garbrandt have remarkable career fall-offs.
