“Even More Crazy” – Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Family Snubbed as Joe Rogan Chooses Brazilian Gracies for Huge MMA Honor

In the world of MMA, two families sit on the throne, towering above the rest like godfathers of the sport, the Gracies, who built the very foundation of mixed martial arts, and the Nurmagomedovs, who now rule it with an iron grip.

The Gracies, led by the UFC co-founder Rorion Gracie, didn’t just participate in the sport, they created it. Brazilian jiu-jitsu aka Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, was their weapon, and the UFC was their stage, forever changing the face of combat sports. Remember the Gracie train? That iconic single-file procession of kinship, with Royce Gracie flanked by brothers and cousins in tracksuits, was more than an entrance, it was a declaration of dominance.

Fast-forward a few decades, and the Dagestani clan has taken over that stage, turning it into their personal empire. Under the meticulous guidance of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, his son Khabib Nurmagomedov and their warriors forged a dynasty of discipline and dominance. Where the Gracies preached innovation, the Russian team thrived on unyielding will. Two families, two legacies.

But if you had to pick which family deserves the title of the MMA’s greatest, who would you choose? Joe Rogan might have the answer. Reigniting this debate, the voice of MMA made a bold proclamation on The Joe Rogan Experience (#2232), “What they (the Gracies) did was even more crazy.”

Gracies vs. Nurmagomedovs, two legacies, two philosophies, one ultimate goal

According to ESPN’s rankings on the family debate, the Gracies take the #1 spot, with the Nurmagomedovs trailing at #2. And why is that you think? “This is just growth, this is just development,” Rogan said, reflecting on Gracies legacy which is rooted in creation. He credited Helio Gracie, the family patriarch, as the architect of a fighting style that fundamentally changed the way the world views combat sports.”They developed leverage, they figured out a way to highlight the submissions and make things super technical and they would analyze moves and break them down and it became the philosophy of the entire family.”

Meanwhile, the Dagestani clan operates on a different plane. They didn’t invent a new martial art, they mastered and refined existing ones to perfection. The fighters from Dagestan became synonymous with grit, discipline, and an unmatched ground game. The Eagle’s 29-0 record, paired with the success of his proteges like the current P4P and lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev, makes their dominance feel inevitable.

But for Rogan, the Gracies stand apart,“That one family created more f–ing assassins than any other family in the history of martial arts.”

So, where does this leave us? For Rogan, it’s clear. The Gracies’ contributions to MMA go beyond victories and championships, they shaped the sports’ very foundation. But is Rogan right? Does the founder’s revolutionary spirit outweigh the Nurmagomedovs’ era of invincibility? Or should the modern dynasty of Dagestan take the crown as the sport’s greatest? As we witness Kron Gracie warming up for UFC 310 and Islam Makhachev for UFC 311 under the featherweight and lightweight respectively, let the debate continue. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!