Dana White says Khabib Nurmagomedov missed GOAT status

UFC CEO Dana White has stated that Khabib Nurmagomedov has not done enough to be considered the greatest of all time. While acknowledging the former lightweight champion's achievements, White suggested that Nurmagomedov's legacy would be untouchable if he had stayed in the sport longer to break more records.

Nurmagomedov retired in 2021 with an undefeated professional record of 29-0. His departure followed the death of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Although White attempted to persuade the Dagestani fighter to return for one more fight, the lightweight title was officially vacated in March 2021.

White compared Nurmagomedov to his protege, Islam Makhachev, noting that Makhachev has achieved more due to a longer career. The UFC head stated that if Makhachev did not have a single loss on his record, he would likely be viewed as the greatest of all time right now.

Nurmagomedov's career included victories over high-level lightweights such as Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Conor McGregor. Despite these wins, White believes the fighter's potential was not fully realized because he did not continue competing in the game.

Conor McGregor has also criticized Nurmagomedov's career. The former rival claimed that the Russian fighter did not do enough in the sport, arguing that the first half of his record was built against inexperienced opponents at his father's shows. McGregor further suggested that Nurmagomedov lacked courage and failed to fight in higher weight divisions.