It sounds absurd to even think of, but there is likely a generation of mixed martial arts fans out there who haven’t ever seen Conor McGregor book himself an elite win.

Well, boys and girls, huddle up. Because stuff is about to go down as the elite striker returns to the Octagon when he and Max Holloway trade leather atop the UFC 329 card which takes place on Saturday, the 11th of July, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Though McGregor did not stay at the top for long, he arguably was front-and-centre of one of the most significant periods in combat sport history when he obliterated Jose Aldo to claim the UFC featherweight championship, went 1-1 with Nate Diaz in an all-time rivalry, and took the UFC lightweight title from Eddie Alvarez.

Yes, these exploits were a decade ago. No, he has not fought for five years. But when he was at his peak, it was like the sports world stopped to watch. And, this weekend, fans — new and old — will get the chance to see whether he’s lost a step, or if he can recapture his best.

Ahead of the fight, he even went through his top 10 UFC fighters of all time — and made sure to include himself on the list. The only question is where he ranked himself, alongside the likes of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and his bitter rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

10

Alexander Volkanovski

28-4-0 (13 KOs and 3 Subs)

Stocky Aussie fighter, Alexander Volkanovski, staked his claim as one of the greatest featherweights of all time for his sheer dominance in the division at championship-level, beating Max Holloway three times, as well as Brian Ortega, Korean Zombie, and Diego Lopes. Before that run, he even got over fellow 145-pound great, Jose Aldo, beating the Brazilian by decision six years ago.

9

Khabib Nurmagomedov

29-0-0 (8 KOs and 11 Subs)

Khabib Nurmagomedov rarely put a foot wrong during his time at the top.

The Eagle has elite wins over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje, among others, and was so dominant he rarely lost a round. The tragic death of his father/coach, Abdulmanap, brought his career to an abrupt end as he retired in unexpected fashion at a behind-closed-doors event during COVID, in front of perhaps only 100 people. His legacy lives on as he has helped coach and mentor Islam Makhachev, who is also on this list.

One might think Khabib would rank higher. However, considering his rivalry with McGregor, who put this list together, it perhaps pained Conor to even include the Dagestan wrestler in the first place.

8

Daniel Cormier

22-3-0 (10 KOs and 5 Subs)

If it weren’t for Jon Jones, it’s likely Daniel Cormier would be considered the light heavyweight GOAT and one of the best to ever do it.

A wrestling stand-out, Cormier ran amok in the popular Strikeforce organisation before crossing over to the UFC and, outside his historic two-fight series with Jones, beat the likes of Dan Henderson, Anthony Johnson, Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva, and Stipe Miocic. A legend in his own right.

7

Islam Makhachev

28-1-0 (5 KOs and 13 Subs)

Considering the extraordinary legacy Khabib left behind, it was once seen as preposterous that any other lightweight could so soon lap his accomplishments. It is a twist of fate that the one to have done that is Islam Makhachev, the Dagestan wrestler he has mentored.

While Nurmagomedov’s time at the top was short-lived due to his retirement, Makhachev continues to run amok, earning two-weight championship status with a win over Jack Della Maddalena after ruling lightweight with wins over Arman Tsarukyan, Dan Hooker, Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski, and Dustin Poirier.

Of all fighters on this list, Makhachev perhaps has the best chance of becoming the UFC’s only three-weight champion should he win a title at middleweight, too.

6

Amanda Nunes

23-5-0 (13 KOs and 4 Subs)

One of the greatest female fighters on the planet, McGregor’s list features two women, and he has Nunes in sixth.

The Brazilian blazed a trail as the UFC’s first only lesbian champion, and claimed many championships and accomplishments as a Hall of Famer and two-time bantamweight queen. She eclipsed Ronda Rousey’s reign atop MMA, by beating Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, and, of course, Rousey herself. She even went on to shut out Holly Holm, and went 1-1 with Julianna Pena at the tail-end of her career.

Nunes is one of one.

5

Valentina Shevchenko

26-4-1 (8 KOs and 7 Subs)

Valentina Shevchenko is a well-rounded striker, having excelled at Muay Thai, kickboxing, and ultimate fighting. A 38-year-old Kygyzstanian, Shevchenko continues to win, recently beating Zhang Weili and Manon Fiorot as a veteran, after posting victories over Alexa Grasso, Jessica Andrade, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk, among others, too.

4

Demetrious Johnson

25-4-1 (5 KOs and 8 Subs)

If Demetrious Johnson competed in a more glamorous division, he’d perhaps be considered even greater than he already is. The American fighter was the inaugural champion in the UFC’s flyweight division, and made 11 successful defences, before competing at ONE Championship in Asia, and winning there, too, despite their flyweight division taking place at a higher weight limit.

Johnson’s best wins include Kyoji Horiguchi, Henr Cejudo and Ray Borg. Even his rematch against Adriano Moraes at ONE has to be considered one of his best, as he avenged his knockout loss to Moraes in brilliant fashion, at an uncomfortable weight differential.

3

Jon Jones

28-1-0 (11 KOs and 7 Subs)

Jon Jones and Conor McGregor have spoken admirably of one another for years, and the two-weight UFC champion is a consensus pick as the greatest fighter of all time. But, on this list, he’s slotted in in third.

When Jones was active, he was ruthlessly efficient as an ultimate fighter. He was adept at striking and, as he got older and put on more mass, utilised wrestling to suffocate an opponent’s attack.

Jones ran a gauntlet in the UFC and remained at the highest echelons through multiple eras, beating Mauricio Rua and Lyota Machida in the early days, Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson in the middle of his run, before finishing Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic at the end of his career, too.

His longevity is unparalled but, for McGregor, two other GOATs eclipse his work.

2

Anderson Silva

34-11-0 (22 KOs and 4 Subs)

Conor McGregor loves Anderson Silva. Loves him so much he’s got him ranked second on his all-time UFC fighter list.

Silva combined entertainment with sport, as he walked to the ring like Michael Jackson, showboated in the Octagon after his PRIDE days, and had an unconventional striking style in which he shot from the hip. That came back to bite him, like his shocking loss to Chris Weidman, but when he was at the top, boy, there was nobody like him.

Silva’s best wins include his spectacular first-round knockout over Forrest Griffin at UFC 101, together with his come-from-behind submission of Chael Sonnen, and front-kick knockout against Vitor Belfort. All incredible.

1

Conor McGregor

22-6-0 (19 KOs and 1 Sub)

It was only ever going to end this way.

Fighters have egos, and, often, the bigger the fighter, the bigger the ego. And so it is no surprise to hear McGregor ranks himself as number one.

In his eyes, he’s the best to ever do it. And, you know what, considering the last five years and the issues he’s had inside and outside the Octagon, if the Irishman can return and defeat Holloway, kick-starting another title-winning run, then we, for one, won’t argue with him.