Can Any Fighter Beat the Unbeatable? Who Could Potentially Defeat Khabib Nurmagamedov?
Khabib Nurmagamedov is probably the most dominant active fighter at the highest level of professional MMA today. Unbeaten in 27 appearances, he has overwhelmed everybody who has stood in front of him with his high-pressure wrestling.
The likes of Rafael Dos Anjos, Edson Barboza, Al Iaquinta, and Conor McGregor are some of the most high-profile names to have fallen to the Eagle. He’s truly a force of nature and has only ever lost one round in the entirety of his career, against Conor McGregor – and even that was just because he was getting his breath back.
So the big question today is this: is there anybody on the current UFC roster who has a realistic chance of beating Khabib? Let’s take a look at the most viable options who could potentially take away that shiny zero on Khabib’s record.
Kevin Lee
It might take a wrestler to beat a wrestler. The Motown Phenom is one of the most exciting young fighters on the lightweight roster. Like Khabib, he’s definitely oversized for the division. Edson Barboza might have been forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief when he took on the Detroit native, but he ended up on the receiving end of a one-sided brutal beating that was even more impressive than the one Khabib put on him. As a stylistic match-up, this would be absolutely fascinating.
Tony Ferguson
This is the fight that Dana White has said should be made because El Cucuy has earned it many times now. Many people believe that Ferguson could be Khabib’s kryptonite. He’s one of the most difficult people to train for because of his eccentric and unorthodox style – he actually used Wing Chun techniques against Al Iaquinta – and he’s also excellent off his back. This is the single most exciting and pure match-up that Khabib could from a hardcore fan perspective.
Tyron Woodley
Now, this would be very interesting. It’s another wrestler v wrestler matchup. Woodley is the most dominant welterweight champion since Georges St. Pierre. If the UFC wanted to go down the whole champ-champ narrative, why not let Khabib take on T-Wood? Nurmagamedov is big enough and the physicality of this fight would be incredible. Woodley has frightening knockout power and is excellent on the ground. Khabib’s oppressive top game might be nullified.
Georges St. Pierre
Oh if only we had the GSP of five years ago. Many people are calling for Khabib v GSP because they want the Canadian to have a shot at becoming the UFC’s first triple champion. He’s got the size advantage and the all-around skills to definitely test the younger man. Both men have said that they want this fight. It would without a doubt put a stamp on both their legacies. We say bring it on, but Dana White has said that GSP needs to beat a top-five lightweight contender first before they’ll make the match. Can he really get down to 155lbs?
… And This Guy
Ok, it obviously wouldn’t touch his unbeaten MMA record. However, Floyd Mayweather would crush Khabib in a boxing match. There’s nothing else to say about this except it’s not going to happen. End of story.