Islam Makhachev has already built one of the most impressive resumes in modern MMA, but UFC CEO Dana White believes the pound-for-pound king still has more work to do before he can officially be crowned the greatest fighter of all time.
This weekend at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, Islam Makhachev defends his welterweight title for the first time against Ian Machado Garry. A victory would not only strengthen his legacy as a two-division champion, but it would also see him surpass Anderson Silva’s long-standing record for the most consecutive wins in UFC history.
Both men currently sit tied with 16 straight victories, meaning Makhachev has the opportunity to stand alone atop one of the promotion’s most prestigious records.
Despite the historic stakes, White isn’t rushing to place Makhachev above legends such as Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, or Anderson Silva just yet.
“I don’t think about that stuff until the fight happens,” White said following Dana White’s Contender Series. “When we see his performance on Saturday, let’s see how it plays out.
“But obviously, breaking the record, you keep grinding, you keep fighting, you put your head down and just keep knocking guys down left and right. By the time you say, ‘You know what? I’m done,’ then we all figure out where he ends up in the big picture. He’s on the right path, that’s for sure.”
The comments reflect just how highly White already rates Islam Makhachev, even if he’s not ready to hand him GOAT status before UFC 330.
Makhachev has dominated elite competition throughout his career. He already holds the record for the most successful title defenses in UFC lightweight history and currently sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. Now, with a welterweight title around his waist, another historic achievement is within reach.
A win over Garry would further strengthen the argument that Makhachev belongs in the same conversation as the sport’s all-time greats. Still, White believes those discussions can wait until after Saturday night.
“He’s got all the things there to be the guy,” White said. “I think we should talk about this Saturday night after the fight and see what we all think based on his performance on Saturday and breaking the record.”
Islam Makhachev enters UFC 330 with a 28-1 professional record and plenty of momentum. He most recently defended his welterweight championship with a decision victory over Jack Della Maddalena after successfully defending his lightweight title against Renato Moicano.
