Justin Gaethje’s journey in the UFC has been full of highs and lows. He entered the organization as the undefeated World Series of Fighting (WSOF) lightweight champion and quickly made a name for himself as one of the most thrilling and aggressive fighters in MMA.
Known as “The Highlight,” Gaethje had a strong UFC debut against Michael Johnson but then faced setbacks with consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez. However, he rebounded impressively, eventually defeating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 to claim the interim lightweight championship.
His bid for the undisputed lightweight title was halted by Khabib Nurmagomedov, and for years, it seemed Gaethje might never secure undisputed gold. That changed recently when he convincingly defeated Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, solidifying his place among the sport’s elite.
Yet, when discussing his personal list of MMA’s greatest fighters, Gaethje made a surprising choice. On the “One Night with Steiny” podcast, he named his MMA Mount Rushmore — which he expanded to six fighters — including Royce Gracie, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Chuck Liddell. Notably absent was Khabib Nurmagomedov. When asked directly if Khabib made his list, Gaethje simply replied, “No, not mine.”
This omission is particularly intriguing given Gaethje’s candid remarks about his fight with Nurmagomedov at UFC 254. Though he won the first round on two judges’ scorecards, Gaethje said it took everything he had just to secure it, and he acknowledged that he couldn’t have won beyond that point. Nurmagomedov went on to submit Gaethje in the second round, marking Gaethje’s first loss in a fight for the undisputed title. When the possibility of a rematch was mentioned, Gaethje didn’t suggest he had a new strategy that would change the outcome, showing his grounded view on that fight.
Ultimately, Gaethje’s personal GOAT list reflects his unique perspective on who deserves a spot among the all-time greats, highlighting that such selections are subjective and based on individual criteria.
Fan Take: Gaethje’s exclusion of Khabib from his GOAT list sparks an important conversation about how fighters evaluate greatness beyond just wins and losses. For fight fans, it’s a reminder that respect in MMA comes in many forms, and even rivals can have differing views on legacy—which adds an intriguing layer to the sport’s evolving history.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
