Exclude RDA? How? When they fought, RDA had not yet been a Champion, or fought in a Title fight.
Comparing him to Conor...
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Khabib - Was the LW Champion when they fought.
Eddie Alvarez - Was the LW Champion they fought.
Nate Diaz - He had already fought BENDO for the LW Title.
Jose Aldo - Was the FW Champion
Chad Mendes - Interim FW Title Fight. And Chad had already fought Aldo for the FW Title.
It is not only who you fight, but when you fight them. It makes a big difference! Before he fought Conor, the biggest fight Khabib had ever been in, was against Al Iaquinta(a guy who wasn't even ranked in the top 10).
I have said the same thing for Eddie Alvarez. Justin Gaethje has lost 2 out of his last 3 fights. But when Eddie fought Justin, he was undefeated. Anthony Pettis is 3-4 since he fought Eddie. But when they fought, Pettis had just lost the UFC LW Belt in his last fight, and was the # 1 ranked contender at LW. Gilbert has lost 5 out of his last 6 fights. But when he fought Gilbert, Melendez was ranked # 4, and had only lost 2 times(in Title fights) in the previous 6 years.