"Had the potential" - Dana White explains why Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn't qualify for GOAT status

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most dominant fighters in the history of MMA, having never lost a fight, as well as only losing two rounds in his entire career.

With a record of 29-0, 'The Eagle' remains one of the few fighters to compete at the highest level and remain undefeated. Despite the dominance he displayed during his career, the former lightweight champion is far from the consensus GOAT of the sport.

Many point to the Dagestani's resume as the reason for his exclusion from the conversation surrounding the greatest MMA fighter of all time.

During a recent interview with Lex Fridman, UFC CEO Dana White explained why he believes 'The Eagle' cannot be regarded as the sport's greatest fighter. He said this:

"I think Khabib had the potential to be in the running for [greatest of all time]. He just didn't stick around long enough. First of all, he had injuries that [delayed his career]. He should have been where he got a lot sooner had he not had the injured and the setbacks in his career. But there's no doubt Khabib is one of the all time greats."

Watch Dana White discuss Khabib Nurmagomedov below from 50:05:

The former lightweight king called time on his career following the passing of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, his long-time head coach, in 2020. Following his death, 'The Eagle' vowed to his mother that he would not compete in MMA again.

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Islam Makhachev or Khabib Nurmagomedov in their prime? Daniel Cormier shares his pick

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev share an immensely close bond, having grown up together in Dagestani. 'The Eagle' even stated that Makhachev was the favorite student of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Given their friendship, as well as them both being lightweight fighters, the respective skill sets of each fighter have been compared for years. While some believe Makhachev to be the superior combatant, others point to the loss on his record to prove that he cannot match up to his close friend and former champion.

Former teammate of both fighters, Daniel Cormier, recently shared who he believed was better in their prime, saying this:

"I think Makhachev possesses a lot of those similar qualities [like Khabib Nurmagomedov]. Very similar when he gets you on the ground, but because he's a better striker, I feel he is even more dangerous than Khabib was during his prime."

See Daniel Cormier's comments below: