Dana White confirms if Khabib stops Gaethje, he’ll become ‘No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter’

Khabib Nurmagomedov is arguably one of the greatest fighters to ever step inside the octagon, having lost only one round in his entire UFC career. The Eagle is currently 28-0 with 12 straight wins in the UFC, including two successful title defences. The undefeated lightweight champion is now scheduled to face Justin Gaethje – the man who’s expected to give him his biggest challenge yet. If The Eagle ends up stopping the interim champion, he’ll add another achievement to his impressive resume.

Also Read l Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals fear of SNAKES despite fighting bears and lions; watch video

According to UFC president Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who’s currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings, would dethrone Jon Jones at number one if he retains his title at UFC 254 against Justin Gaethje. Though the criteria to determine rankings is a little hazy, Dana White believes Khabib Nurmagomedov is on his way to GOAT status. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje will collide in a title unification bout which is set to take place on n October 24.

“I think if he beats Justin on Saturday, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and he’s on his way to GOAT status,” Dana White said at the UFC 254 pre-fight press conference.

Also Read l Conor McGregor photoshops himself in UFC 254 Khabib vs Gaethje pre-fight conference still

Khabib vs Gaethje: Khabib Nurmagomedov becomes a major draw

In addition to his status as one of the best fighters in the sport, Khabib Nurmagomedov has also become a major draw for the company. Previously, The Eagle participated in the highest selling PPV in UFC history (UFC 229) where he defeated Conor McGregor in the fourth round via submission. While talking about the reach of the Khabib vs Gaethje card, Dana White stated that UFC 254 is treading into record-breaking territory. Dana White added that Khabib Nurmagomedov is a global star as video content featuring him generated 222 million views - 100 million views in 2020 alone.

“I could just rattle off numbers all day. He’s by far the No. 1 most played character in the video game (UFC 4) globally. By a long shot. The numbers just go on and on. I could go on for days. The kid’s broken a lot of records,” Dana White added.

Also Read l Khabib Nurmagomedov says going 30-0 would make him the “Floyd Mayweather of MMA”

Also Read l Khabib Nurmagomedov’s father Abdulmanap receives tear-jerking tribute ahead of UFC 254

Image Source: AP