Khabib Nurmagomedov believes Islam Makhachev still has room to climb in the all-time debate, but only if he keeps collecting wins and breaking records.
Speaking about his former teammate, Nurmagomedov said he has never been interested in putting himself into the GOAT conversation. Instead, he wants Makhachev to keep building a résumé strong enough to force that discussion. For Nurmagomedov, the standard is not just championship success, but sustained dominance against top opponents.
Why UFC 330 matters
That challenge gets another test this Saturday at UFC 330, when Makhachev defends his 170-pound title in the main event against Ian Machado Garry. A win would give Makhachev 17 consecutive UFC wins, pushing him closer to the kind of record-setting run that Nurmagomedov says can change the conversation around a fighter’s place in MMA history.
Nurmagomedov pointed to several names when discussing the GOAT debate, including Jon Jones, Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier. He said that if those fighters are part of the discussion, there is no reason Makhachev cannot be considered as well. He also said he would like Makhachev to break the major records held by those champions.
That includes Anderson Silva’s UFC consecutive wins mark, which is one of the biggest milestones Makhachev could target if he keeps winning. Nurmagomedov also noted that Makhachev has already built a strong title run, with four straight successful defenses before UFC 330.
The pressure of time
Nurmagomedov also said age matters more in lighter divisions such as 155 and 170. That is part of why he believes the clock is ticking a little for Makhachev, who is 35. He contrasted that with heavier fighters who can sometimes extend their careers differently.
Makhachev’s path has already included setbacks and recovery. He lost to Adriano Martins in 2015 in his second UFC appearance, but since then he has put together a 28-1 record and turned himself into one of the sport’s most accomplished champions.
For Nurmagomedov, the message is simple: Makhachev still has a chance to strengthen his case in the GOAT debate, but the only way there is through continued dominance. UFC 330 is another chance to keep that run moving.
