Jon Jones, Khabib reply after Conor McGregor ranks MMA GOATs on Twitter
Conor McGregor is back at ruffling people’s feathers this Memorial Day weekend. The MMA fighter ranked his top four greatest MMA fighters of all time and of course he’s placing himself at No. 1 when all is said and done.
For now, Anderson Silva holds the top spot in McGregor’s mind. Georges St. Pierre is No. 3, after McGregor currently, and Jon Jones comes in at No. 4. McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) shared his reasoning in an unprompted “GOAT Thread” on Saturday, two weeks after going on a Twitter tirade and calling out fighters. It prompted a response from Jones about who should be determining the best of all time.
McGregor lists GOATs
McGregor, 31, sees himself “easily” moving into the top spot by the time his career is finished. Silva, 45, has suffered losses in the last few years but plans to keep on for at least two more fights.
GOAT THREAD.
The array of finishes, across 2 divisions, with champion status in 1, Anderson Silva is No.1 MMA GOAT.
My array of finishes, across 3 divisions, with champion status in 2, I’m No.2. If not tied 1.
However still active, No.1 is fully secured by career end. And easily.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 23, 2020
Clarity on Silva’s earlier no.1 spot. Most stylistic finishes on resume. Front kicks to face. Up elbow (albeit outside UFC) Thai plum knees leading to broken facial bones. Long list of jaw dropping finishes. Myself/Anderson have the most exciting/important finishes in the sport!
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 23, 2020
St. Pierre, who announced his retirement in February 2019, played it safe, McGregor said, and “never re-engaged 170lb successors.”
GSP is in at 3. Much less array of finishes but champion status in 2. He is far behind though. Reasons = Left 170 after much damage taken+questionable decision. Never re-engaged 170lb successors. Bottled Anderson fight. Only moved when one eyed fighter presented. Played safe.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 23, 2020
He’s a distant third, McGregor asserted, which makes Bones’ fourth-place finish even worse.
Jon is 4. Maybe tied 3. More array of finishes than 3 and still active, but champion status in just 1. Reasons = Multiple lacklustre decision performances + questionable decision win. Attempting to safe play HW entry/avoiding its champion.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 23, 2020
One more on George/Jon decision that will clear why I originally gave George 3 and Jon 4 before a maybe tied 3. A lot of Jons opponents were Anderson’s 185lb opponents but the array of stoppages where not there, or nowhere near Anderson’s despite the weight advantage to do so.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 23, 2020
And if we’re talking the use of performance-enhancing substances? Well, then, McGregor is obviously No. 1, he said. The PEDs talk is in reference to Silva and Jones
I didn’t mentions PED results on multiple entrants, even though that makes me the clear current No.1 MMA GOAT, along with still being active.
Although it shames, as well as puts all runs+finishes in complete doubt, I’ve snored multiple juice heads.
A true GOAT must do it all.— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 23, 2020
Jones: We’ll let fans decide GOAT
Jones, 32, responded to the rankings in three separate tweets.
🤫 And Still
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 23, 2020
Try that one first lad
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 23, 2020
I’m not going to debate on who is the goat, I’ll let the fans do that for me.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 23, 2020
Khabib, Nate Diaz chime in
Jones wasn’t the only one to get in on the GOAT talk.
Khabib Nurmagomedov shut McGregor down instantly, though did offer him one GOAT title.
you tapped out in featherweight , you tapped out in lightweight and you tapped in welterweight , you never defended title in the UFC or Cage Warriors , you gave up more than GSP , Spider and Bones all together.
you greatest @ufc fighter in twitter history.— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) May 24, 2020
Nate Diaz jumped in too, and brought receipts.
Warning: These tweets contain language that is NSFW
Smoked the #1 p4p and double champ
know the real 🐐 when you see him
And don’t for get I did it better and quicker than anyone else on the ground and sent him down with punches quicker than Mayweather did so fuck alll y’all rankings and know a real goat when you see me pic.twitter.com/wHmDqVERmf— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 23, 2020
P4p the baddest motherfucker here fuck all y’all 👊🏼🖕🏼👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/TdA8qPPTc1
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 23, 2020
McGregor will have to step back into the octagon to truly start taking the No. 1 spot.
More from Yahoo Sports: