Topuria: Khabib and Johnson are not in my top-5 list
UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria recently shared his thoughts on the greatest fighters of all time in an interview with Edin Ross, sparking significant debate within the MMA community. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
His personal top-5 list notably did not include former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov or American legend Demetrius Johnson, which caught the attention of many. The content of this interview was widely covered by various MMA-related sources.
When asked "Who are the best UFC fighters of all time?", Topuria initially named Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones. He then emphasized that compiling such lists is not easy and sometimes certain names are unintentionally overlooked.
This indicated that his choices were far from hasty and were based on personal perspectives. The most interesting part of the interview was observed in the question about Demetrius Johnson.
Although Topuria said he did not include Johnson in his overall top-5 list, he did not hide that he recognizes Johnson as one of the best in the lightweight division. This showed that he distinguishes between overall rankings and evaluations within specific weight classes.
During the conversation, Topuria was jokingly asked to include himself in the top-5 list. However, he expressed that he does not like to add himself to such lists, demonstrating humility and caution.
The most debated part was his opinion about Khabib Nurmagomedov. According to Topuria, Khabib’s fights before his last two bouts were not particularly exciting.
He linked Khabib’s popularity mainly to his undefeated streak and the question "Who can stop him?". Additionally, Topuria admitted that he personally has never been a particular fan of Khabib’s fighting style.
These views naturally sparked various discussions within the MMA world, as Khabib and Demetrius Johnson are widely recognized as some of the greatest fighters in UFC history.
Topuria’s omission of them from his personal top-5 list shows that he has unique and independent opinions. In conclusion, Ilia Topuria’s interview was not just about a simple ranking but reignited the eternal MMA debate — "Who is the greatest?"
Some consider his opinions sincere, while others do not agree with these views. However, one thing is clear: Topuria has once again captured the attention of many with his statements.
