Dana White Doesn’t Crown Islam Makhachev as the GOAT but Says, “He’s on the Right Path”
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The UFC president claimed that Saturday's performance against Ian Garry will speak for itself, ending the discussion surrounding the UFC's welterweight champion ahead of UFC 330.
This Saturday night, Islam Makhachev will defend his welterweight title for the first time in Philadelphia's Xfinity Mobile Arena. And a debate surrounding him is whether he is the greatest of all time.
Even White was asked the same question at the UFC 330 press conference. White responded thoughtfully, but he didn't discount Islam as the greatest of all time.
Dana White Shares His Verdict on the Islam Makhachev GOAT Debate
Islam Makhachev is currently unbeaten in 16 UFC bouts. He will surpass Anderson Silva's legendary 16-fight winning streak if he defeats Ian Garry.
Before competing in the welterweight division, Makhachev has won and defended the lightweight title four times. Many fans and critics, thus, argue about whether he is the best of all time based on his record.
When asked where Makhachev stands if he beats Garry, Dana White said, “I don't think about that stuff until the fight happens. When we see his performance on Saturday, let's see how it plays out.”
However, the UFC boss didn’t dismiss what the Dagestani has done so far in the promotion. He added, “But obviously breaking the record, you keep grinding, you keep fighting, put your head down, just keep knocking guys down left and right. And then by the time you say, 'You know what, I'm done' then we all figure out where he ends up in the big picture. But he's on the right path, that's for sure.”
Ian Garry vs. Islam Makhachev
The fight will take place on August 15th, and it will headline UFC 330. This is Ian Garry's first ever UFC title fight. Fans have already brought up the Dagestan vs. Ireland rivalry, as Garry is from Ireland.
While this element heightens interest, it is important to acknowledge that both will face intense competition. Garry and Makhachev both declared that they would stop the bout in the early rounds rather than relying on the judges.
Makhachev has extensive wrestling expertise and has crushed his opponents inside the cage. However, Garry's striking ability, along with his reach advantage, will surely be a problem for the Dagestani.
While Makhachev had defeated opponents with longer reach in the past, they were not on Garry's level. Also, if the battle goes to the ground, Makhachev will have an advantage.
Although Garry and his team claimed to have trained for the ground game, it will be intriguing to see if it is enough once the fight commences inside the cage.
