VIDEO | Chael Sonnen: Conor McGregor Needs to be Recognized as “The Greatest Fighter to Have Ever Done It”

Last night, in the main event of the historic UFC 205, Conor McGregor made history by becoming the first UFC fighter ever to wear gold in two divisions simultaneously. The Irishman made this history by levelling lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez with a blistering, second-round combo.

Despite the mountainous accomplishments of his foe, McGregor made it look easy. The Irish star faced zero adversity during the fight, and dropped his foe three times before polishing him off for good. Given the apparent effortlessness with which McGregor achieved this history-making win, his name is suddenly in the mix for MMA’s greatest of all time debate. At least, that’s what former UFC title challenger, recent Bellator signee, and ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen thinks.

“I think Conor needs to be recognized as the greatest fighter to have ever done it,” Sonnen said on ESPN in the wake of McGregor’s win. “This is the first time in UFC history that someone has held a world championship in two different divisions simultaneously. Literally, history was just made. Biggest gate of all time, biggest pay-per-view I suspect of all time, Madison Square Garden, and now Conor McGregor does exactly what he said he’d do. It reminds me of The Babe. He used to walk out to the mound and he’d say where he’d put the ball, and nobody else had the courage to actually try to do it. Conor McGregor said I will put you away in less than two rounds. For the third-straight time he has called his own shot. He put Eddie Alvarez away in less than 10 minutes.”

“[I’m] absolutely blown away,” Sonnen continued. “An intangible that we didn’t see, because Conor was able to keep the distance, was that Eddie never even got a wrestling attack off. Conor was never even in danger of being outwrestled and taken to the ground, which could also tire him out which we saw with Nate Diaz. This was one of Eddie’s big arguments as to why he was going to beat Conor, and I personally believed it. On paper, it made a lot of sense. The problem was Conor kept his distance, Eddie couldn’t get in where he needed. Every time he tried to, Conor would kick him right in the stomach, regain that distance again and keep him at the end of those shots like we’ve seen him do so well. Coach, that is the real story of this fight, is that Eddie could never get started.”

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Is Conor McGregor the best to have ever done it? Sound off, PENN Nation!