Who is the UFC GOAT after UFC 285?

Jake Yono

JY Journalsim

3/10/23

UFC 285 was an amazing card. But for this article entry, I only care about the main event of the evening, Johnny “Bones” Jones Vs. Cyril Gane. Coming into this fight Jon Jones had not fought in 3 years since UFC 247 against Dominick Reyes where he defended his belt for the 13th straight time by going the distance to earn the unanimous decision victory. But after UFC 285 this leaves us with a huge question to answer, who is the greatest fighter in UFC history? Is it Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges St. Pierre, Demetrius Johnson, or Jon Jones? But before we start it’s the week of international womens day and there is a clear women GOAT in the UFC Amanda Nunes with a record of 22-5 and 15-2 in the UFC.

Before I determine the UFC GOAT let's get to our honorable mentions who I did not mention on this list. Anderson the “Spider” Silva, and Jose Aldo Junior. it is hard to put him here but I think that Anderson Silva fought for too long and is still currently boxing, which is the definition of washed up which hurts his stock of being considered the UFC GOAT. He has had 10 UFC title defenses and a UFC record of 17-7-1 and with all 7 of his losses coming in his last 8 UFC bouts. Now we turn to my last honorable Mention Jose Also Junior. At 31-8 in his MMA career, Aldo started his carrer in the WEC promotion where he went 8-0. Then he went into the UFC where he had a record of 13-7 with 7 title defenses. What does not put Aldo in the greatest of all-time discussion is his UFC title fight losses including Max Holloway, Conor Megeror, and Petr Yan.

Now we get to the 4 fighters I think all of them could be the UFC GOAT. These 4 names are Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Jon “Bones” Jones, and Georges St. Pierre. Jon Jones came into MMA and the UFC guns blazing. Coming into the UFC undefeated Jon Jones was already a hot UFC prospect after 3 UFC fights he went on the Ultimate Fighter and in the finale and lost by DQ after an illegal ground-and-pound move which I think was a BS call as the UFC was already developing. He has had 14 title defenses in his carrer. Jones would be the #1 fighter in UFC if he did not take enhancing drugs. We all know during one of his fights Vs. DC tested positive. I believe Jones is an extremely talented fighter and I think he used PED for most of his UFC carrer.

Next, we go to the “Eagle” Khabib Nurmagomedov. With a perfect MMA record of 29-0 and no wins by Majority or split decision in his carrer. He is regarded as one of the best to ever do it. Khabibs was the only fighter on this list to retire in his prime. He retired in UFC 254 Vs. Justin Gaechje is in only his third title defense at the young age of 31. He did not fight anymore because of the death of his dad. With retiring early and being the best grappler in UFC history (Tapology) Khabib Nurmagomedov is considered one of the greatest UFC fighters in history. 

Now it is GSP time, Georges St. Pierre is the 3rd fighter on this list. With a carrer record of 26-2 and 20-2 in the UFC GSP is one of the most perfect fighters in the UFC. with 9 UFC title defenses I think GSP is one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history. His 2 losses were fairly in his carrer and he finished his carrer with 13 straight UFC wins not like Khabib who only fought 13 times in his carrer, or Anderson Silva, Mighty Mouse who lost and switched promotions, and Jon Jones who was on PEDS for most of his career. 

The final Contender in this article is Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. He has the 2nd most Title defenses in UFC history with 11. I don’t like how mighty mouse left the UFC because this is only a UFC list and not an MMA GOAT list. He lost his last UFC bout to Henry Cejudo and then went to fight in the ONE fighting championship. Not like Nurmagomeov or GSP and Jon Jones who is still kicking it in the UFC.

This was incredibly challenging to make but this debate has come to an end. I think the greatest fighter in the UFC’s history is Gorges St. Pierre because he went 20-2 in the UFC, he was in the UFC for 13 years while Jon Jones is for 15 but was on drugs, and Johnson was for 8 but lost in his last UFC appersaence, and lastly Khabib only had 13 fights in the UFC and retired very early. This list could of been different is Mighty Mouse stayed in the UFC, If Khabib would of fought for longer, and if Jon Jones was not on drugs he would of been the UFC GOAT.