Dana White Believes Khabib Is ‘A Couple Fights Away’ From GOAT Status
Khabib Nurmagomedov is now 28-0 after he successfully defended his lightweight title for the second time at UFC 242. There, he submitted Dustin Poirier in the third round, but the fight was not easy, at least for a moment.
During the fight, Poirier appeared to stun Nurmagomedov, and then, later on, had a tight guillotine choke. For UFC president Dana White, he was thoroughly impressed that the Russian champion was able to get out of the choke.
“He looked unbelievable,” White said at the post-fight press conference (h/t MMA Junkie). “Incredibly dominant, even though there was some drama in there when he was caught in that guillotine. A lot of people don’t get out of that thing. Khabib is so good he got out.
“Dustin had that thing in deep. Most people would have tapped and went to sleep to that guillotine. Props on him for getting out of that, too. He looked completely dominant tonight.”
With the win, the question of where Nurmagomedov ranks among the best of all-time is a big one. He is undefeated and has been dominant in all his fights. So, according to White, he is very close to being the GOAT.
“(He’s) pretty special, man,” White said. “I think he’s a couple (of) fights away from potential GOAT status. To go undefeated for this long, for this many fights, especially in a division that’s that stacked, he’s looking down the barrel of a pretty special career.”
As for Nurmagomedov, he thinks he is the top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.
“Give me just respect, ” Nurmagomedov said. “Put me on No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter next week, because I think I deserve this. Because I dominate, with all my opponents. I’m undefeated. I think I deserve some respect.”
Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov is the GOAT?
