Top fighters of the 2010s discussion: Why is Conor McGregor ranked above Khabib?

Deciding on the top 10 fighters over an entire decade is an invitation for an open-ended debate.

Throw in a mandate from MMA Junkie managing editor Simon Samano that each person on the staff was free to set their own criteria on what qualifies as worthy of consideration for the decade’s best list, and a staff that pulls from a wide variety of ages stationed all around the globe, and you have plenty of leeway for a diverse variety of selections.

The end result was a vibrant list, one that demands more conversation. So we gathered MMA Junkie’s Las Vegas crew — MMA Junkie Radio personalities “Gorgeous” George and “Goze,” fight analyst Dan Tom, and lead reporter John Morgan — to debate the results of our top 10 fighters of the 2010s in a roundtable format.

In this segment, the guys discuss one of the most controversial results of our ranking: How did Conor McGregor (No. 5) end up ahead of Khabib Nurmagomedov (No. 8)? For one thing, Nurmagomedov dominated McGregor in their UFC 229 bout before submitting him in the fourth round. And for another, Nurmagomedov has never lost a fight, while McGregor dropped two fights in the decade. So what gives?

Watch the video above to hear the crew’s take on this situation. And to watch the full roundtable, check out the video below.