UFC Veteran-Turned-Actor Shares His All-Time Fighter Picks Featuring Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov

The MMA community can never come to a consensus while picking the GOATS of the sport, often aggressively defending their own picks over the other person. However, nobody is opposing UFC fighter-turned-actor Tim Kennedy’s pick of the best champions to grace the octagon; fighters like Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

If you are wondering and asking questions that sound like, “But what about Anderson Silva, and GSP?”, well, don’t fret. They are in there too. While Kennedy shared a picture of Silva and called him his favorite, he was happy to share his ‘Mount Rushmore’ candidates as well.

“It is not everyday you get to meet your favorite fighter in history and the guy you hoped to fight your entire career. My list of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Khabib, and George St Pierre as the greatest champions in UFC history.”

Jones, often hailed as the greatest, boasts an almost perfect record and has dominated in two weight classes against at least a couple of generations of world-class fighters. Even as he nears 40 years of age, he holds the undisputed heavyweight title.

Meanwhile, Silva’s reign as middleweight champion, with 10 successful title defenses isn’t even what he is best known for. He was an entertainer through and through and is often considered the most skillful man in mixed martial arts. In his prime, it was difficult to even lay a hand on him, as former champion Forrest Griffin has previously testified. 

Khabib, on the other hand, retired undefeated at 29-0, leaving a legacy that many consider unparalleled. He was so dominant that at no point, during his reign did he ever look like he could be defeated. MMA is a ruthless sport and doesn’t allow a lot of liberties. 

However, even during his last match against Justin Gaethje, Khabib did his opponent a favor. Khabib changed his submission from an arm triangle to a choke so that Justin wouldn’t have to tap in front of his parents.

And GSP was extraordinary that he could retire after holding the welterweight title for ages, then come back years later to defeat Michel Bisping to win the middleweight title. 

Each of these legends deserves a spot at the top of every list ever made. But it doesn’t do to dwell in the past. So is there anyone who could become the next big thing? Kennedy believes there is.

Kennedy is all in on Nickal

The former UFC fighter attended a function for President Donald Trump where he ran into the likes of GSp, Jones, and Bo Nickal. It is there that he heaped praises on the middleweight prospect and labeled him a future champion. 

Kennedy is not alone in his assessment. Nickal’s transition from collegiate wrestling to mixed martial arts has been impressive, a testament to his grappling prowess and adaptability. However, his rise within the octagon has been far too gradual for many. UFC veteran Chael Sonnen has claimed that Nickal is ready to take on title contenders like Khamzat Chimaev.

However, some experts, like Daniel Cormier, advise a measured approach to his career progression, suggesting that while Nickal has championship potential, he should continue to develop before facing top-tier opponents.

Regardless of which route the young middleweight chooses, there is a very good chance he will find himself within reach of UFC gold in the near future. How he fares from there is subject to debate for another day.