Georges St-Pierre Says Islam Makhachev Would ‘Probably’ Beat Any Fighter in History
Georges St-Pierre has made a bold claim regarding Islam Makhachev's all-time standing in UFC history, putting him on an extremely high pedestal.
When a fighter widely considered the greatest of all time speaks, the MMA world listens. During a recent appearance on the Double Coverage Podcast, former two-division UFC champ Georges St-Pierre offered some staggering praise for reigning UFC welterweight champ Islam Makhachev.
Asked how Makhachev stacks up against the legends of the sport, St-Pierre didn't hesitate to put the Dagestani at the very top of the mountain.
"There’s a good chance Islam Makhachev beats anyone ever right now," St-Pierre said. "Probably, yeah. I would think so. Logically, I would say so. His skill level is almost infathomable. It’s like he’s a machine trained to fight."
Coming from Georges St-Pierre, that is extremely high praise when you think about the fact that St-Pierre himself is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Naturally, plenty of fans online have suggested the notoriously polite Canadian icon is simply being humble, especially since many pundits and UFC commentators have recently argued that Makhachev has already surpassed St-Pierre in the all-time rankings.
Building an Undeniable Legacy
Looking at the numbers, St-Pierre’s logic is tough to argue against. Makhachev (29-1) currently sits on an unprecedented 17-fight UFC winning streak, having shattered Anderson Silva’s longtime record of 16 consecutive octagon victories.
After dominating the lightweight division with a record four title defenses, Makhachev moved up to 170 pounds in November 2025, capturing the UFC welterweight belt from Jack Della Maddalena before successfully defending it against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in August. St-Pierre has even floated the idea that Makhachev could chase a historic third belt at middleweight to permanently end the GOAT debate.
Still, St-Pierre believes the sport’s rapid evolution means no throne is safe forever.
"As good as he is, maybe in two decades there will be another guy who’s better than any of them we have today," St-Pierre added. "And that’s how it goes."
For now, though, even the gold standard of MMA admits the machine from Dagestan is operating on a different level.
