Chael Sonnen Explains Why Islam Makhachev Isn't the GOAT After Beating Ian Garry

Islam Makhachev added another massive victory to his resume by outpointing Ian Machado Garry to defend his welterweight championship. However, former UFC title challenger  Chael Sonnen remains completely unconvinced that the result cements the Dagestani star as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen poured cold water on the immediate reactions hailing Makhachev as the ultimate GOAT. While acknowledging Makhachev's dominance across two weight classes, the analyst pointed out that a victory over Garry simply does not meet the lofty criteria required to claim the sport's highest throne.

"Beating Ian Garry cannot be the litmus test to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time," Sonnen argued. "Greatest of all time is a really hard argument when Jon Jones exists just because we never established what Jon's weaknesses are."

The 155-Pound Legacy Versus the Welterweight Reality

Sonnen broke down the dynamic of the matchup, critiquing Garry's demeanor and physical profile inside the Octagon. He suggested that the Irish contender lacked the killer instinct needed to truly push the champion into dangerous territory.

"Beating a guy with length and range and youth who wants to talk to you in between rounds and who does not want to upset you at all," Sonnen explained. "He's just as fine with you leaving here winner if that's important to you, and him not as long as we leave here friends. Beating that guy doesn't get you anointed."

Despite his skepticism regarding the Garry fight, Sonnen made sure to give Makhachev his flowers for what he accomplished in his natural division. Makhachev (29-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) compiled an unprecedented run at 155 pounds before moving up to capture a second belt, holding iconic wins over elite lightweights like Charles Oliveira and Alexander Volkanovski.

According to Sonnen, that lightweight run holds significantly more weight than his current exploits at 170 pounds.

"In and about those weight classes, the real stars are at 155. They're Justin Gaethje. They're Ilia Topuria. And Islam was the champion of that weight class for a meaningful amount of time," Sonnen said. "So you do have good reason to hold an esteem higher and above them for Islam. You just do. But in head-to-head competition, I think that we got to see more."

While fans and pundits continue to debate Makhachev's standing among the legends, Uncle Chael is holding the line. Until Makhachev takes on more volatile, dangerous threats at welterweight, Sonnen believes the GOAT crown remains firmly out of reach.