Lists are always going to create discussion in regards to which options should or shouldn’t have made it onto the final version. This is no different with ESPN’s Top 10 men’s MMA fighters of the 21st century list.
Unsurprisingly, the current UFC heavyweight champion and consensus greatest of all time, Jon Jones, takes the top spot with the usual cast following behind him. Welterweight great Georges St-Pierre is the runner-up with the long-time champion of the weight class above him, Anderson Silva, rounding out the top three.
Dominant champions Demetrious Johnson and Khabib Nurmagomedov make up the top five whilst Fedor Emelianenko, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, BJ Penn and Kamaru Usman complete the full list.
On a recent episode of the Jaxxon Podcast, two men who are in a great position to debate the list did just that as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Liddell spoke about who could have earned a spot that ultimately didn’t.
Jackson, perhaps controversially, said that he isn’t sure whether the number five pick had enough fights at the highest level to be considered, especially when someone like Matt Hughes didn’t make the cut.
“Nothing against Khabib, I just don’t think he fought enough fights. To be on there and to not have Matt Hughes on there, you know what I’m saying cus he was champion for a long time.”
Liddell, who did make the cut, responded by agreeing with his former opponent’s take that Hughes deserves a mention. He also named one other great champion that would have undoubtedly been in contention, even if some of his best work was done before he arrived in the UFC.
“If you look at the strength of opponents, you know. There’s some other guys in there, José Aldo. A beast man, for years. Those lists are lists man and all those guys are quality guys. It’s tough really.”
