Was Khabib better than Muhammad Ali? Daniel Cormier thinks so

08 January 2023

Daniel Cormier ranks Khabib Nurmagomedov above Muhammad Ali when it comes to the GOAT list of Combat Sports. The former UFC champion did so recently and ranked Floyd Mayweather as the greatest combat sports athlete of all time.

On his list of all-time great fighters, former UFC heavyweight Daniel Cormier placed Khabib Nurmagomedov ahead of Muhammad Ali.

With victories over opponents like Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, Nurmagomedov is regarded as one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history. He retired as the lightweight division's unbeaten champion. Meanwhile, legendary boxing heavyweight Ali is regarded as one of the most prosperous and significant athletes of all time for his impact both inside and outside of the ring.

Before retiring after losing to Trevor Berbick in 1981, the late Ali vanquished some of that era's biggest names, including Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston, and George Foreman. The unbeaten Floyd Mayweather and Nurmagomedov, along with UFC stars Georges St. Pierre and Amanda Nunes, have been ranked ahead of Ali by UFC great Daniel Cormier.

You can see the top 5 list of Daniel Cormier below.

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
2. Khabib Nurmagomedov
3. Muhammad Ali
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Amanda Nunes

"So hear me out you might disagree with me on this, Muhammad Ali at No.3. One of the greatest boxers of all-time, what he did transcended the sport. But here is the difference, he was a pillar of our community. He did so many things outside of the boxing ring, and I think that is why we elevate him to the greatest boxer of all-time,” Cormier added on top of his pick.

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Do you think Khabib is better than Muhammad Ali? Let us know in the comments below.