For years, the UFC GOAT debate has mostly revolved around names like Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva. Plenty of elite fighters have come and gone since, but very few have managed to genuinely put themselves in the same conversation as those three. Islam Makhachev could change that at UFC 330.
The Dagestani star is set to defend his welterweight title against Ian Garry in Philadelphia on August 15, and a win could mean much more than another successful title defense on his resume.
Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez and former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad are among those who believe the lightweight legend could be just one victory away from entering the ultimate GOAT conversation. Dana White, however, isn’t ready to make that call just yet.
During a recent Dana White’s Contender Series press conference, the UFC CEO urged fans to wait until UFC 330 is in the books before making any big conclusions. White said, “I don’t think about that stuff until the fight happens.”
He added, “When we see his performance on Saturday, let’s see how it plays out, but obviously breaking [Anderson Silva’s] record, you keep grinding, you keep fighting, you put your head down and just keep fucking 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.”
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For the unversed, Makhachev enters UFC 330 riding a 16-fight UFC winning streak, already matching Anderson Silva’s iconic record. A victory over Garry would take him to 17 consecutive UFC wins and give him the record outright.
The Dagestani star has also spent more than 800 days as the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. On top of that, he has already built one of the most impressive title-fight resumes in lightweight history before moving up to welterweight, where he became only the 11th fighter in UFC history to win championships in two divisions.
Still, White isn’t making any bold predictions before the fight. He added, “He’s got all the things there to be the guy. 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.”
White is understandably being cautious about comparing Makhachev to the likes of Jones and GSP, especially after what happened when he suggested Alex Pereira could surpass Jones if he defeated Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.
For now, Makhachev has one more job to take care of. If he gets past Garry on August 15, the GOAT debate could look very different by the time the dust settles in Philadelphia.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
