Khabib Nurmagomedov might be the Lightweight champion and one of the most dominant fighters ever to grace the UFC Octagon, however, during the UFC Panelist end of year recap show he was also unanimously voted on as the Pound for Pound No.1 fighter in the world.
During their showcase, the four panelists found themselves disagreeing on every category except one and that was that Khabib’s position in the pound for pound rankings.
The group highlighted that while he only fought once in 2020, the fashion that Khabib was able to defeat Justin Gaethje in, and his flawless 29-0 record places him at the top of the heap when it comes to the pound for pound rankings.
In this UFC 254 main event, Khabib was able to find victory in the second round via a triangle choke after showcasing his striking abilities in the first. The matchup was advertised to be the champion’s toughest stylistic matchup yet due to Gaethje’s pedigree in wrestling, however, this largely went as a nonfactor as the champion wore Gaethje down with pressure on the feet eventually finding a shot and earning his submission win.
Other names that were mentioned in the discussion included that of Jon Jones, the former number one pound for pound fighter who upon Khabib’s installment at the top of the rankings appeared to feel disrespected. After the fight, Jones to social media highlighting what he has been able to achieve in his run within the UFC spanning over the past decade and becoming the youngest champion in UFC history.
Following his latest victory over Geathje, Khabib announced his retirement from the sport, however, UFC President Dana White appears confident he can convince Khabib to return once again and defend his Lightweight title.
While the position could potentially change hands dependent on a number of variables, right now it appears the majority of fans and experts agree that Khabib is the pound for pound number one fighter in the world.