Chris Weidman's wild claim gets fans reconsidering Khabib Nurmagomedov's GOAT status

It seems that Khabib Nurmagomedov is no longer at the top of some fans' GOAT list judging by how they reacted to Chris Weidman and Daniel Cormier's recent discussion about their own legacies in MMA.

Nurmagomedov called time on his MMA career in 2020 following his victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. 'The Eagle' walked away from the sport seemingly in his prime, which saw him amass a stunning 29-0 record throughout his time as a professional fighter.

Due to the Russian fighter's decision to walk away, fans have often debated whether Khabib Nurmagomedov can be considered the GOAT due to cutting his career short.

Weighing in on the matter was Chris Weidman, who boldly stated that walking away from the octagon undefeated means you can be considered the greatest. He said:

"If you retired on top, are you kidding me? You'd be known as the GOAT... If I retired after knocked out Anderson Silva or before I fought Luke Rockhold. I would be, I would've been 14-0, retired and that's it [considered the GOAT]."

Catch Weidman's comments here:

Fans have since reacted to Weidman's claims, with one fan claiming that walking away from MMA to 'protect' your record means you can't be considered one of the greats of all time.

"Run away and protect your record like Khabib did, that never makes you goat."

Another fan stated that 'The All-American's claims are the exact reason why some fans don't consider Khabib Nurmagomedov the GOAT.

"Perfect example why Khaib is over rated af."

Check out more comments here:

Fan discussion in the comments

Belal Muhammad reveals Khabib Nurmagomedov's words of advice for his UFC 288 bout

Belal Muhammad is set to take on Gilbert Burns this weekend in a welterweight bout considered to decide the next challenger for the 170lb title.

'Remember the Name' opted to add Nurmagomedov to his corner prior to his bout with Sean Brady at UFC 280, where he earned his first TKO victory since 2016. The influence of the Russian fighter's coaching was immediately evident and Muhammad is keen to prove the same once again at UFC 288.

During fight preparations this week, Belal Muhammad sat with ESPN MMA for a now-private interview. During his talk, which was later published by MMAMania.com, Muhammad revealed the words of advice given to him by Nurmagomedov for this weekend.

He said:

"I actually talked to Khabib Nurmagomedov and he said, ‘Brother, I think you should do five rounds.’ I was like, ‘That’s a good thought.’ My team knows what I’m capable of. I’m a guy who gets stronger as rounds get deeper"