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Islam Makhachev has made a strong case to be the greatest the sport has ever seen; Jon Jones excluded.
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Originally labeled as the successor to Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s undeniable dominance in the UFC, it didn’t take long for the prodigy to surpass his predecessor in many fans’ eyes. Not only did he win and defend his lightweight title more times than his friend and training partner, but he also moved up in weight and joined the exclusive list of double champions. The Dagestani holds several records in the company, but none more impressive than his longest winning streak, which he claimed by collecting 17 straight victories, overthrowing Anderson Silva‘s 13-year record.
It’s hard to deny Islam Makhachev is at the table with the sport’s greatest-ever fighters, but does he surpass the consensus GOAT, Jon Jones? Makhachev seems to think so, insisting that being caught taking performance-enhancing drugs has stunted Jones’ claim to the throne.
“I don’t deny that Jon Jones is one of the greatest athletes in history,” Makhachev said. “But he was caught on doping, twice. And I believe his streak isn’t valid because he competed under the influence and won. That’s when his new count began.”
Like many fight fans, Makhachev can’t decide on just one greatest of all time. Over the years, a handful of athletes in each generation come along and make a strong case for being the best to ever step into the octagon.
Knowing that, despite the alleged cheating, Jon Jones is one of the few at the head of the table, Makhachev gave him his flowers.
“Still, he’s still one of the strongest ever. Maybe even the strongest, I don’t know,” Makhachev continued. “I don’t know. I won’t name just one person. There are many, many strong ones.”
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Listen to what Islam Makhachev had to say about the GOAT conversation below.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 3:25 PM.