Henry Cejudo, the former UFC double champion, recently shared his take on who deserves the label of the greatest fighter of all time. Speaking with Sports Express, he laid out a candid assessment that challenges the conventional consensus about Khabib Nurmagomedov and other legends of the sport.
Cejudo did not place Khabib among the all-time greats in the way some fans might expect. He suggested Khabib belongs in the upper tier, perhaps a top 10 or top 15 list, but he pointed to the number of title defenses and the UFC fights count as part of the equation. According to Cejudo, Khabib’s resume includes 13 UFC bouts and a relatively smaller number of championship defenses compared with some other legendary figures. He contrasted this with fighters like Jon Jones, who accumulated 14 title defenses, using those metrics to frame a broader discussion about dominance versus longevity in the sport.
On the broader question of dominance, Cejudo acknowledged that Khabib could be considered among the most dominant fighters in history. Yet he argued that the persistence and breadth required to claim the top spot went beyond a single streak. The limited number of belt defenses for Khabib, in his view, makes it difficult to crown him the absolute best, even as many recognize his unprecedented flawless record in the UFC.
The conversation then turned to another icon, Fedor Emelianenko. Cejudo noted that Fedor’s trajectory included a long stretch of success but also a later period where he experienced more losses. If Fedor had stepped away at the right moment, he might have ranked even higher. In Cejudo’s assessment, those who study the sport closely understand why Fedor is sometimes placed among the greats, with room to edge toward the top five in certain arguments. The point remains that time and timing can shift perception when evaluating all-time lists.
Nurmagomedov’s overall MMA record stands as a pristine 29-0, a rarity in the sport where perseverance and the ability to win across different opponents and systems define legacies. That perfect ledger helped Nurmagomedov earn recognition beyond the cage. A Public Opinion Foundation poll from 2021 highlighted him as a standout figure in sports, underscoring how a fighter’s influence can extend beyond wins and losses to cultural impact and public perception. Yet in October 2023, Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from competition, signaling a deliberate exit after a storied career that reshaped how future fighters gauge success and resolve their own paths in the sport.
Fedor Emelianenko’s career also deserves careful reflection. With 48 professional MMA fights, he amassed 40 victories and seven defeats. His era featured a mix of deep competition and evolving styles, and his legacy continues to spark debate among fans and analysts about where he ultimately fits on the all-time list. The discussion around these legends illustrates a broader truth about MMA history: greatness is shaped not only by wins and titles but by influence, longevity, and the ability to elevate the sport in ways that resonate with new generations of fighters and spectators alike.
Looking at the bigger picture, the topic invites a wider conversation about how greatness is measured in combat sports. It is not a single statistic but a combination of consistency, peak performance, and the ability to adapt to changing rules and opponents. Cejudo’s perspective emphasizes that while remarkable records and dominant periods matter, the all-time GOAT conversation benefits from considering the full arc of a fighter’s career, the challenges faced, and the context in which those achievements occurred. For fans in Canada and the United States, these debates are part of a shared storytelling tradition in mixed martial arts—the stories of fighters who pushed the boundaries, set new standards, and left indelible marks on the sport’s history.