Robert Whittaker has made it clear that he has a favorite in the UFC lightweight division: Islam Makhachev. He’s been in awe of the Dagestani’s performances, particularly when he claimed the lightweight title in 2022. Makhachev, Khabib’s protege, has set his sights on breaking records and also achieving the rare feat of becoming a three-division champion.

In a recent conversation with MMArcade, Whittaker addressed the ongoing debate that’s on everyone’s mind: Has Islam Makhachev surpassed Khabib Nurmagomedov as the greatest 155fer? When the host asked the same question, the Aussie ace said, “Yeah! Definitely! Like right now the problem is that we need to see him [Islam] keep going. To keep doing it I think statistically, he is the best lightweight to have done it right now.”

However, Whittaker also pointed out the potential risks of continued success, adding, “But you know if he loses that bubble that pops. Do you know what I mean by that aura disappears? And that’s why it was so good for Khabib to get out and not succumb to anything else. Because his [Khabib] bubble never popped, you know what I mean?” Despite these concerns, Whittaker expressed excitement about what Makhachev could still achieve as his career continues to flourish.

It’s important to note that Islam now holds the most lightweight title defenses in history at four and is currently on a 15-fight win streak, second only to the legendary Anderson Silva’s 16. And as Whittaker mentioned, we never got to witness a chink in Khabib’s armor considering the Dagestani retired at just 32 after remaining unscathed his entire career. However, the same cannot be said for the consensus 185lbs GOAT.

After an incredible reign as the company’s undisputed face and a title reign that lasted nearly 2500 days, Silva’s career went on a downward trajectory. ‘The Spider’ retired with just 1 win in his last 9 bouts inside the Octagon. And this is exactly the kind of ‘bubble’ shatter Whittaker was talking about.

However, with Makhachev’s current dominance as the lightweight champion, it seems that the student is rapidly closing in on, if not surpassing, the achievements of his mentor. So, does this mean we can claim that Makhachev is a better fighter than Khabib Nurmagomedov?

Former UFC fighter weighs in on the Islam Makhachev vs. Khabib debate

Speaking on the Thicc Boy podcast, former fighter turned podcaster Brendan Schaub made a bold claim that could stir up plenty of controversy. He declared that Islam Makhachev was a better fighter than the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov. Schaub argued that Makhachev has faced tougher opponents than Khabib did in his career.

He said, “Islam’s a better fighter than Khabib. He’s better, better striking, more dominant, better finisher. Khabib falls into the line of, like, people hate when I do this whenever you talk, and I’m not talking bad about Mike Tyson. This is just facts.”

Schaub continued, “Khabib’s in this aura right now; he’s like, ‘Oh, he’s so dominant; no one’s ever going to surpass him; he’s the greatest to ever do it; he’s undefeated,’ this and that. Mike Tyson, man, he was so scary. I remember my dad used to buy the pay-per-views. I know it’s all sentimental, but that doesn’t matter. None of that s–t matters.”

Schaub also suggested that Makhachev is a better overall fighter than Khabib ever was. “You know, good wins, quality wins—you got three Hall of Famers on your list. Islam surpassed him, man. Just a better all-around fighter,” Schaub added. So, do you agree with Robert Whittaker and Brendan Schaub’s assessment regarding the Makhachev vs. Khabib debate? Share your thoughts in the comments below.