This just goes back to my point that GOAT conversations are not simple.
Aldo’s pro career has been 18 years, 14 at the elite level.
Khabib’s pro career has been only 13 years, 8 at the elite level.
Its highly likely if Khabib stuck around another six years like Aldo has so far that he would get KOed at some point.
GSP got out at 32, Fedor is here at 45.
Anderson Silva had a 24 year pro career, a year into fighting pro full time he fought the #1 P4P fighter in the world who was undefeated at 18-0-2 and Anderson beat him. Competed in three weight classes and won major world titles in two of them. Fought 13 years longer than Khabib. What would Khabib’s record look like if he faced the level of comp for the length of time that Anderson did and he attempted to defend the title as many times as Anderson did? We will never know.
How do you compare Khabib’s 8 years at the elite level of the sport to Anderson’s 20 years at that level? Of course the GOATS who stick around longer have more loses than the guys who got out early to avoid losses.
Khabib is the LW GOAT IMO but he would not be undefeated if he faced the #1 P4P fighter in the world just a year into his full time pro career and then went to fight in PRIDE soon after like Anderson did.
Not even debatable, khabib is very skilled and very good at his one dimension approach, he didnt stick around long enough to be challenged, conor is a flop as a win, the second he lost to Nate and almost twice sealed the deal that his is not a top fighter if he cant one shot you at 145
Khabib has less of a claim than Olivera, sure he in undefeated but 90% of his wins are scrubs, he has a questionable win vs Tibau who is where in the rankings? Justin and dustin are his biggest wins, conor was a joke after Mayweather so his stock is like bottom top 10 now, Olivera has more losses as he fought better comp, came into his own not padding his record he was struggling at 145 so moved up and is a beast, maybe khabib would be a beast at his natural weight but feel the cody and Usman if the world would fucj his ass up
Khabib is the GOAT lightweight. 2nd is Eddie Alvarez whether you like it or not dudes won every title there is, avenged the Chandler and Aoki losses, KOd RDA when he looked unstoppable.
Aldo is the all time GOAT, top five across two weight classes for over a decade. GSP is right there too but I’d favor Aldo. The only real blemish is the McGregor KO.
If not for roids it could be Jones, 205 sucks though so it’s hard to say. Same for Silva, pop hot and you’re not a GOAT contender for me.
Absolutely no way. He never had a winning streak over 4. Could he have been? Yeah if he buckled down at 155 and quit fucking off in other weights, probably. But he didn’t, so he’s not.
He only had 3 title defenses at 155 and was 15-5 before going on a decade long losing streak that includes getting slept by drunks in the parking lot. Saying he’s GOAT of anything because “ohhhh he stopped 27 of Diego Sanchez’s takedowns” is just monkey brained dumb shit.
Me too, big curiosity matchup for me. I’m pretty confident Khabib would absolutely nerf him but legendary nonetheless. That one, Adesanya vs. Prime Silva, 2018 Miocic vs Fedor would all be awesome as far as ending GOAT debates goes.
I get it Khabibs last few years in the UFC though he just looked untouchable. Utterly manhandled RDA, Gaethje, McLegor and Poirier, record for most takedowns, 29-0 (yeah it’s padded early) then retired on top. I’d like him to get one more against Olivera should he beat Gaethje though.
