Islam Makhachev is often celebrated as one of the greatest mixed martial artists. However, Merab Dvalishvili, a former bantamweight champion, does not believe Makhachev should be considered the greatest fighter in MMA history.
Guided by his friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has achieved remarkable success in recent years.
He set a new record with the most lightweight title defenses at four and has now surpassed Anderson Silva’s 16-fight record, achieving the longest winning streak in UFC history.
Makhachev’s recent performances have led many to label him the GOAT of the sport. Yet, Dvalishvili maintains that this title should belong to Jon Jones, a former two-division champion. In an interview with Helen Yee, ‘The Machine’ stated:
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“[Makhachev] is one of the GOATs, I believe. But for me, the GOAT is Jon Jones. You know, he has the most title defenses, and he was fighting for title fights and main events. So Islam is a great fighter. I mean, he is one of the GOATs. But the real GOAT is Jon Jones, you know. But all the respect for Islam Makhachev.”
Check out Merab Dvalishvili’s comments below:
Makhachev recently secured a unanimous decision victory over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, marking his first welterweight title defense and extending his UFC winning streak to 17. Prior to the match, the 34-year-old had expressed his intent to continue fighting until he reaches a 20-fight win streak.
Merab Dvalishvili’s prediction for Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria clash
Merab Dvalishvili predicts that Ilia Topuria will pose a significant challenge to Islam Makhachev, suggesting that the Georgian-born Spaniard’s style will counter Makhachev’s grappling skills effectively.
In a social media clip, ‘The Machine’ argues that although Makhachev is skilled and can use wrestling to secure takedowns against ‘El Matador’, he would find it difficult to keep the former lightweight champion grounded:
“If Makhachev takes Ilia down, he won’t be able to hold Ilia down. That’s the thing. Makhachev is a great fighter. I think he can beat everybody at 170 except Ilia because styles make fights, and Ilia’s style is going to be worse for Islam Makhachev.”
Edited by Ujwal Jain
