Michael Jordan, not the NBA GOAT? That’s enough to spark a thousand barbershop debates. But here’s why the subject came up. Recently, retired champion Ronda Rousey appeared on a podcast with comedian Bert Kreischer, where she dismissed UFC color commentator Joe Rogan’s expertise, believing he turned on her after her back-to-back losses in the mid-2010s. Rogan has since responded with surprising grace, saying he holds no ill will toward her.

That exchange prompted UFC legend Chael Sonnen to jump in—and he firmly took Rogan’s side. According to Sonnen, Joe Rogan simply called what he saw: Rousey wasn’t the same fighter after the Holly Holm defeat, and his assessment changed accordingly. In Sonnen’s view, that shift doesn’t make Rogan disloyal—it just means Rousey can’t be considered the Greatest of All Time. To make his point, Sonnen reached outside MMA and invoked NBA royalty—Michael Jordan.

Why does Sonnen think Michael Jordan is not the NBA GOAT?

The UFC veteran didn’t hold back when drawing parallels between Ronda Rousey’s legacy and the way fans talk about Michael Jordan. “I see people do this in basketball,” Sonnen boldly said, speaking on his YouTube channel. “They do it with Michael Jordan. [They say], ‘He was the Greatest of All Time.’ You don’t understand. You’re not building up Jordan and the ’80s nostalgia that you had from back then.”

Sonnen believes that calling Michael Jordan the GOAT ignores the growth of the sport and diminishes the work of modern stars who came after him. “You’re insulting everybody [who] came after. If Jordan was truly the Greatest of All Time, then the sport of basketball peaked in 1989,” he added. According to Sonnen, that same logic applies to Ronda Rousey, who has claimed she is the GOAT in MMA on several occasions. 

“So, see, that’s where it’s important that you tell the Ronda story correctly,” he continued in his YouTube video. Rousey deserves immense credit for what she accomplished, but Sonnen argues that doesn’t mean fighters like Julianna Peña and Valentina Shevchenko should be dismissed. It’s worth remembering that before Rousey arrived, UFC CEO Dana White was firmly against allowing women to compete in the UFC.

She was the one who changed his mind—a point Joe Rogan also highlighted when responding to her comments about his lack of MMA expertise. And when it comes to the NBA GOAT debate, Sonnen isn’t alone. He’s just one of many who believe that, despite his legend, Michael Jordan might not hold the title of the greatest basketball player of all time.

Former NBA star puts Victor Wembanyama on GOAT watch

Victor Wembanyama’s third NBA season is quickly turning into something historic. And one former NBA star believes fans are witnessing greatness in real time. After returning from a sophomore-year setback caused by deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the 7-foot-4 San Antonio Spurs phenom has come back with dominant force. His latest performance was the first stat line of its kind in league history.

The display prompted DeMarcus Cousins to make a bold proclamation on FanDuel’s Run It Back. “We might be witnessing the greatest basketball player in the making,” he said. “I’ve never seen this before.” Fellow analyst Chandler Parsons echoed the praise, saying, “Do you watch this man play basketball? It’s beautiful.” At just 21, Wembanyama is averaging 25.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks, putting him firmly on MVP and Defensive Player of the Year radars.

Clearly, GOAT in any sport is a highly subjective matter. While Ronda Rousey or Michael Jordan might not be the GOAT in Chael Sonnen’s books, for someone else, they are the pinnacle of the sport. What about you? Do you agree with Sonnen?