We asked AI to name 5 active UFC fighters who could have beaten prime Khabib Nurmagomedov (only No. 4 has been tested)

Many fans and experts believe that Khabib Nurmagomedov retired from MMA when he was in his athletic prime. 'The Eagle' still trains, albeit not as much as he used to. Either way, he's fondly remembered by his supporters as an unstoppable force during his prime.

Well, we asked Google's AI Gemini to name five active UFC fighters (i.e. fighters currently on the UFC roster) who could've beaten a prime Khabib. The undefeated Dagestani faced just one of those five fighters, and almost fell prey to a scary submission against him.

The AI alluded to the complex nature of the sport of mixed martial arts and indicated that predicting fight outcomes is speculation because anything can happen in a fight. However, it emphasized that on the basis of the five elite fighters' styles and skills, they could've proven to be tough matchups for Nurmagomedov despite his irrefutable dominance in his prime.

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#1 Khabib Nurmagomedov's longtime training partner Islam Makhachev

Reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA) has trained with Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA) since their younger years. Despite retiring from professional MMA competition in October 2020, after his father and mentor Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's passing in July 2020, Khabib continues to help his friends and relatives like Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov.

He often serves as a coach/cornerman for fellow Dagestanis Makhachev and Umar. The 36-year-old will do so at UFC 311 (Jan. 18, 2025) too. Also, a Khabib vs. Makhachev pro MMA bout would've been unlikely, given their close bond. Incidentally, Makhachev is currently on the cusp of breaking Khabib's UFC lightweight title defense record of three consecutive defenses.

The AI suggested that Islam Makhachev, who's Khabib Nurmagomedov's protege, boasts a similar fighting style as him -- a wrestling-heavy manner of combat. It also referenced Makhachev's dominance in the lightweight division. As such Makhachev could've turned out to be an interesting test for 'The Eagle.'

Intriguingly, this hypothetical matchup has long been a hotly debated topic among fight fans. In 2022, Nurmagomedov and Makhachev's longtime coach, Javier Mendez, spoke to Submission Radio about their sparring sessions.

The AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) founder recalled that after Nurmagomedov started sparring in front of him in 2012, he'd never seen anyone win a round or sparring session against him. Nevertheless, Mendez noted that only Makhachev was able to win rounds against 'The Eagle,' but he couldn't win the sessions.

Watch Javier Mendez discuss the topic below (6:57):

#2 Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira (35-10, 1 No Contest) is widely considered to be one of the scariest submission artists to have ever competed in the UFC. The Brazilian combatant is a former UFC lightweight champion, who's lately been on a quest to reclaim the title.

Presently, 'Do Bronx' holds the No. 2 position in the official UFC lightweight rankings. Oliveira famously faced Khabib Nurmagomedov's friend, Islam Makhachev, back in October 2022 and lost via submission. Oliveira has gone 2-1 since. His most recent fight ended in a thrilling unanimous decision win for him over Michael Chandler in their rematch in November 2024.

The multi-time Jiu-Jitsu champion has consistently evolved his striking skills over the years and even developed fearsome knockout power. During Oliveira's reign as the UFC lightweight champion in 2021, many fans called for Nurmagomedov to return and fight him due to their intriguing clash of styles -- especially in the grappling dominion.

The AI indicated that Oliveira is a specialist at submissions and boasts tremendous striking prowess. It highlighted that 'Do Bronx's' multidimensional skill set would've been a one-of-a-kind challenge for Khabib Nurmagomedov.

#3 Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski (26-4 MMA) is beheld as one of the greatest MMA featherweights ever. The Australian has competed in the featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight divisions, in addition to also partaking in a lone 150-pound catchweight bout in his MMA career.

At the highest level of the sport, Volkanovski mainly achieved his success at featherweight, a division he still competes in. 'The Great' currently stands at No. 1 in the official UFC featherweight rankings. He's been eyeing a potential rematch against reigning UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in 2025.

Some feel that the 36-year-old is past his athletic prime and has been dealt considerable wear and tear that's hurt his resilience, particularly owing to his last two fights. He suffered a knockout defeat in his rematch against Islam Makhachev at lightweight in October 2023 and then a knockout loss against Topuria at featherweight in February 2024.

However, his supporters often cite that Volkanovski had taken the Makhachev rematch on a few days' notice and arguably deserved a win in their first encounter in February 2023.

The AI acknowledged that Volkanovski has primarily competed in the featherweight division. Nevertheless, it opined that the Australian combatant's technical striking skills, unrelenting pressure, and cardio could've made him a challenging opponent for Khabib Nurmagomedov.

#4 Khabib Nurmagomedov's one-time opponent Dustin Poirier

Dustin Poirier (30-9, 1 No Contest) is regarded as a bonafide legend, who's extensively competed in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. Poirier is a former interim UFC lightweight champion, who's lately signaled that his next fight could be the last of his professional MMA career.

The currently No. 4-ranked UFC lightweight has competed in the division for the past several years and challenged for the undisputed UFC lightweight title thrice. He came up short each time -- being submitted by Khabib Nurmagomedov (2019), Charles Oliveira (2021) and Islam Makhachev (2024).

Out of the five fighters listed in the AI assessment -- Islam Makhachev, Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Beneil Dariush -- Khabib Nurmagomedov has only fought Poirier.

Intriguingly, Poirier is one of the rare fighters who came dangerously close to defeating the legendary Nurmagomedov. Of course, some fans would bring up Nurmagomedov's controversial points victory over Gleison Tibau as the one fight that he probably lost.

However, in regard to being stopped in a professional MMA bout, it was Poirier who arguably came the closest to doing that to 'The Eagle,' with the Louisianan's oft-discussed guillotine choke.

The AI pointed out that Poirier is a veteran of the sport and is battle-tested. It was highlighted that 'The Diamond' possesses KO power as well as underrated grappling prowess. Moreover, the Louisianian's determination and resilience could've possibly pushed Nurmagomedov to his limits.

#5 Beneil Dariush

Beneil Dariush (22-6, 1 draw) is a BJJ world champion who made an impact in the MMA realm as well. His eight-fight win streak ended with a knockout defeat against Charles Oliveira in June 2023. Dariush was then knocked out by Arman Tsarukyan in December 2023. He hasn't competed since but is expected to make his long-awaited return against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 this month.

Presently, Dariush stands at the No. 9 position in the official UFC lightweight rankings. He was once on the verge of possibly becoming the lightweight champion but had his momentum abruptly halted by the back-to-back knockout defeats.

Regardless, the AI alluded to some of Dariush's strengths. It explained that he's a well-rounded combatant who boasts exceptional submission prowess and wrestling skills. The American fighter's improvements were deemed consistent, and his approach was labeled as tactical -- both of which could've troubled Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Check out a screenshot of the AI assessment regarding the toughest matchups for a prime Khabib Nurmagomedov below: