Dana White is not ready to place Islam Makhachev at the top of the all-time list before the welterweight champion completes his UFC 330 assignment.
White was asked whether a victory over Ian Machado Garry would be enough to make Makhachev the greatest fighter in UFC history. He declined to settle the argument before Saturday’s performance, but acknowledged that Makhachev is moving toward that territory.
White Wants The Fight Before The GOAT Verdict
“I don’t think about that stuff until the fight happens. I mean, when we see his performance on Saturday, let’s see how it plays out. But obviously breaking the record, you know, you keep grinding, you keep fighting, put your head down, just keep, you know, fucking 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.”
“He’s got all the things there to be the guy,” White said. “I think we should talk about this Saturday night after the fight and see what we all thing based on his performance on Saturday and breaking the record.”
Watch White’s complete answer below:
The record White referenced is the UFC’s consecutive-win mark. Makhachev tied Anderson Silva at 16 by taking the welterweight championship from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. A win over Garry would move him to 17 straight UFC victories and leave him alone atop that list.
Makhachev enters Saturday at 28-1. He won the lightweight title in 2022, defended it four times, then moved to 170 pounds and swept Della Maddalena on all three scorecards. The jump made him a two-division champion, and the Garry matchup is his first defense of the welterweight belt.
The GOAT discussion has already followed Makhachev throughout fight week. His coach Javier Mendez said a UFC 330 win would push him deeper into the debate, while Jon Jones previously placed Makhachev alongside himself in the modern argument. White’s answer adds a different standard: finish the fight, extend the record, then judge the full body of work when the career is over.
Makhachev’s First Welterweight Defense
Garry enters at 17-1 for his first UFC title fight. His only professional defeat came against Shavkat Rakhmonov, followed by decision wins over Carlos Prates and former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. His height, movement, and takedown defense have framed the tactical debate around Saturday’s main event.
Makhachev and Garry already completed their first UFC 330 faceoff at Philadelphia’s Rocky statue. UFC 330 takes place Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The card streams on Paramount+, with early prelims at 5 p.m. ET, prelims at 7 p.m. ET, and the main card at 9 p.m. ET.
