"Lost to Nate Diaz," "Did well against Floyd" - Fans divided on Chael Sonnen calling Conor McGregor potentially the "best fighter ever" in MMA history

Chael Sonnen recently grabbed the attention of MMA fans by asserting that prime Conor McGregor was perhaps the best fighter in mixed martial arts. Sonnen explained that many fans focus on McGregor's recent struggles rather than recognizing his previous dominance.

He emphasized that McGregor, during his peak, fought in two of the toughest divisions in the UFC, consistently overcoming top-tier opponents. Sonnen pointed out that UFC CEO Dana White publicly acknowledged McGregor’s immense potential early in his career, a recognition only afforded to a few fighters in UFC history.

Sonnen also noted that McGregor's early run, including a swift rise to becoming the first simultaneous two-division champion, remains one of the sport's most impressive achievements. Despite not having won a fight since the victory over Donald Cerrone in January 2020, Sonnen believes newer fans may overlook just how dominant the Irishman was in his prime.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen said:

"I don't believe I'm going to get a debate by any reasonable fan that 145 [pounds] and 155 [pounds] are the most difficult weight classes in the sport. Not just the company UFC, but the entire industry... Conor was the champion of both divisions simultaneously. That's insane!... Conor McGregor has won so many world championships that he forgot one. Did you know he had a trademark on champ-champ?"

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below (6:45):

Several fans reacted to Sonnen's comments with mixed reactions and wrote:

"Fair he did well against Floyd [Mayweather] and got a takedown on Khabib [Nurmagomedov]."

"Prime Conor lost to Nate Diaz."

"There’s one thing Conor did that will never be done again. He was the current reigning champion of a certain weight class but took 3 fights in a row in other weight classes. Nobody could get away with that but Conor. It sounds insane just saying it."

"@ChaelSonnen is not wrong here at all."

Check out some of the reactions below:

Fans react to Chael Sonnen claiming prime Conor McGregor was the best fighter. [Images courtesy: @PunchlinePulse_ on X]

---

Chael Sonnen reacts to a potential fight between Conor McGregor and Dan Hooker

Conor McGregor has set his sights set on a fight with Dan Hooker and claimed that the pair have verbally agreed to fight in February 2025. However, Chael Sonnen has raised doubts about the feasibility of this matchup, citing potential hurdles that could prevent it from happening.

In a recent episode of Good Guy/ Bad Guy, Sonnen noted that while he appreciates McGregor’s enthusiasm for the fight, there’s no concrete plan in place. He explained that McGregor's callout of Hooker is more of an attempt to help his fellow fighter capitalize on the lucrative opportunity that comes with facing a high-profile opponent. He said:

“Conor called him out [and] told the world about the fight... [He] is trying to pursue the fight to help Dan Hooker because 'Red Panty Night' is still real. I only have to tell you that because no Dana [White] is not doing this. They don’t even have a show on the date that Conor said it out for.”

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below: