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Depends on the criteria.
Who had the biggest fights and most memorable moments in UFC?
McGregor.
Who has the biggest impact on the sport?
McGregor.
Who had the greatest peak moments in toppling champions?
McGregor over Aldo is the defining peak moment of all careers in UFC.
First ever double champ.
Brought the sport out of the dark ages.
Made the world recognize MMA.
All Conor, he is definitely arguably the GOAT.
UFC already discussed these criteria on their 30 greatest all time list.
Popularity belongs in the GOAT conversation and McGregor is the most popular bar none. Not even a close second.
People can dispute who has the best fighting skills betwe. Jones, Silva and Fedor, but no one can dispute Mcgregor’s impact as the most impactful.
One can define criteria however one wants, arbitrarily,. When most peolpe debate who is the greatest of all time it is widely accepted that one is asking about skill and accomplishments in the octagon, not popularity. If the UFC includes it on their criteria, fine, but it is an extremely lesser factor than others, or else Ronda and Brock would have to be there.
"Biggest impact on the sport" also depends on how you measure "impact". I could say Royce Gracie and the Gracie family in general had a bigger impact than McGregor overall for the sport, and that Bonnar vs. Griffin was more consequential fight in MMA history, far more than Aldo vs. Conor, even if it wasn't the best selling one. It put MMA on the map after almost going under, and enabled the UFC to acquire Pride and begin the growth to its current point.
To say Conor "brought the UFC out of the dark ages" is ridiculous when you had stars like Lesnar, Ronda before, and were on FOX already. The UFC doubtlessly grew faster and bigger because of Conor, but the dark ages were precisely before the conclusion of TUF began the meteoric rise of MMA, which was well under way despite Conor.
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