Dana White: Islam Makhachev could go on run that blows away Khabib, every other UFC lightweight champ

ABU DHABI – Dana White has not been shy with his praise for Khabib Nurmagomedov. He won’t be shy when it comes to dishing out propers to one of his proteges, either.

After lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) knocked out featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski (26-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) in the first round of the UFC 294 main event Saturday in Abu Dhabi, UFC CEO White rejected the idea that Makhachev has to live in the shadow of Nurmagomedov, who retired and vacated the lightweight belt in 2020, which paved the way for Makhachev’s ascension and current spot on the throne.

Makhachev was supposed to fight Charles Oliveira, whom he beat to win the vacant title in 2022. But Oliveira pulled out with a cut, and Volkanovski took his second shot at becoming a two-division champ. After a close fight their first time around, Makhachev ripped through Volkanovski in a hurry in the rematch.

“I don’t know if he really lives in Khabib’s shadow,” White said at his UFC 294 post-event news conference at Etihad Arena. “(Saturday) was a big step in the right direction. The guy’s been dominant. Then, all the controversy that came off that last fight, and he finishes this fight the way that he did. … He went in there and viciously, impressively finished this fight with a (Mirko) ‘Crocop’-esque kick to the head. It doesn’t get any better than that against a very tough, durable guy who has a great chin. You don’t ever see anybody do that to Volkanovski.”

Makhachev trained with Khabib and Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, who died in 2020 not long before Khabib won his final fight and announced his retirement. Because of that, he’ll forever be compared to his fighting mentor – particularly because they’re in the same weight class and now have held the same title.

But White thinks Makhachev eventually could supplant Khabib as the best to do it at 155 pounds.

“(If) he keeps doing what he’s doing – you’ve just got to keep grinding and knocking them down one by one – and it eventually happens,” White said. “The truth is, when you look at Khabib – and nothing against Khabib; Khabib came in and won the title and defended – but (Makhachev) could go on a defense run that absolutely blows everybody away that ever held the belt in that division.”

White also thinks Makhachev could take a shot at a second title, himself – but at welterweight, where Leon Edwards currently holds the title.

But White pumped the brakes on that happening in the near future.

“I guess he’s talented enough (to win two belts),” White said. “I don’t see that happening any time soon. He’s still got some guys to fight (at lightweight). But if he defends the belt for another year and wanted to move up, why not?”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.