Apr 20, 2019; New York, NY, USA; Terence Crawford looks on after winning his fight against Amir Khan during the WBO welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Sarah Stier-USA TODAY Sports

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Terence Crawford Opens Up On MMA Interest And His Favourite MMA Fighters

Boxing legends occasionally flirt with the idea of crossing over into MMA. The combat sports world loves these conversations because they generate massive buzz and endless debate. Fans argue about whether elite boxers could handle kicks, takedowns, and submissions. Some fighters make the jump and succeed. Others realize the learning curve is steeper than they imagined.

Terence Crawford has dominated boxing at the highest level for years now. The multi-divisional world champion made history as the first male boxer to become undisputed in three weight classes during the four-belt era. That’s an incredible achievement that speaks to his talent and dedication. Crawford also has a wrestling background from his childhood. That grappling foundation makes him different from most pure boxers. So naturally, people wonder if Crawford sees MMA as a potential future career after hanging up his boxing gloves.

Terence Crawford Shuts Down MMA Switch

During a recent stream with influencer Adin Ross, Crawford addressed the MMA question directly. He didn’t leave much room for interpretation either. The boxing star shut down any possibility of switching to MMA. His reasoning was pretty straightforward and honestly hard to argue with. Money matters, and Crawford pointed out that MMA fighters don’t get paid nearly as much as top boxers.

“Nah. They [MMA promotions ] don’t pay enough. Man, you get messed up in wrestling, just in general. Now, to do wrestling, kicking, boxing, elbowing, I mean, you can’t have it.”

Terence Crawford says he'd never do MMA because "they don't pay enough"

He also says his favorite UFC fighters are Jon Jones and Khabib, and says he's still never seen Ilia Topuria fight 😅

(via @adinross) pic.twitter.com/7NKPvjTgHj
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 28, 2025

But the financial aspect wasn’t his only concern. Crawford got real about the physical toll that MMA takes on fighters. Wrestling alone causes enough damage to the body over time. Now add in kicks, elbows, knees, and submissions to that equation. The wear and tear multiplies exponentially.

Crawford Shares His Favourite MMA Fighters

However, Crawford made it clear he’s still a huge MMA fan. He’s attended UFC events in the past and follows the sport closely. When Ross asked about his favorite fighters, Crawford didn’t hesitate. He named Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov as his top picks. That’s some serious respect for two legitimate GOAT contenders.

Jones has dominated multiple weight classes with his freakish athleticism and fight IQ. Khabib retired undefeated and made elite opponents look helpless with his relentless grappling style.

(Image Credit: Sarah Stier – Imagn Images)

Jon Jones

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Terence Crawford

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!