TLDR
- Islam Makhachev defends his welterweight title Saturday against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330
- Makhachev is tied with Anderson Silva at 16 consecutive UFC wins; a victory would break the record
- Dana White refuses to declare Makhachev the GOAT until after Saturday’s fight performance
- Makhachev already holds the record for most lightweight title defenses and is the top pound-for-pound fighter
- White says Makhachev is on the right path but wants to see continued success before GOAT discussion
Sources: middleeasy.com | mmafighting.com
UFC CEO Dana White says he won’t declare Islam Makhachev the greatest fighter of all time until after his fight this Saturday. Makhachev faces Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in a welterweight title defense that could break records.
Makhachev currently has 16 straight wins in the UFC, tying him with Anderson Silva for the most consecutive victories in company history. A win over Garry would give him the record alone.
The Dagestani fighter already holds the record for most lightweight title defenses in UFC history. He now holds the welterweight belt as well, making him a two-division champion.
White Wants to See Performance First
White told reporters he prefers waiting until the fight ends before stacking more praise on Makhachev. “I don’t think about that stuff until the fight happens,” White said during a press conference.
The UFC boss wants to see how Makhachev performs before discussing where he ranks among all-time greats. “When we see his performance on Saturday, let’s see how it plays out,” White explained.
🚨𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡: Last Training footage Khabib and Javier Mendez are putting Islam through nightmare workouts 🥶🤯
🗣️ Islam: Khabib like to bully people 🤣
🗣️Khabib: To break Anderson Silva record it's something that never happened before definitely a great achievement… pic.twitter.com/gczekPq82X
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) August 12, 2026
Makhachev currently ranks as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. He can move into even rarer territory with a successful title defense Saturday night.
White acknowledged that Makhachev has the right credentials to join the greatest of all time conversation. “He’s got all the things there to be the guy,” White said.
However, White wants to wait until after Saturday’s performance before comparing Makhachev to legends like Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre. “I think we should talk about this Saturday night after the fight,” White stated.
The Path to GOAT Status
White explained that fighters earn their legacy through continued success over time. “You keep grinding, you keep fighting, you put your head down and just keep knocking guys down left and right,” White said.
The UFC CEO believes fighters determine their place in history by the end of their careers. “By the time you say ‘you know what? I’m done,’ then we all figure out where he ends up in the big picture,” White explained.
White confirmed that Makhachev is heading in the right direction for GOAT consideration. “He’s on the right path, that’s for sure,” White said.
Makhachev’s coach and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov has expressed his desire to see his protégé overtake fighters like Jones, St-Pierre, and Demetrious Johnson in the GOAT debate. Khabib himself retired with an undefeated 29-0 record.
The fight between Makhachev and Garry takes place Saturday night at UFC 330. Makhachev will be defending his welterweight title for the first time since winning the belt.
A victory would give Makhachev 17 straight UFC wins, breaking Silva’s long-standing record. White says he will be ready to discuss Makhachev’s legacy after seeing his performance against Garry.
