"Who is the GLOAT? Who gets to gloat?"- Michael Bisping explains what would make Charles Oliveira surpass Khabib Nurmagomedov in the GLOAT conversation
As Charles Oliveira approaches arguably the biggest fight of his career, Michael Bisping has decided what the Brazilian must do to surpass Khabib Nurmagomedov and earn the greatest lightweight of all-time honors.
A man once known as a gatekeeper is now considered one of the best 155ers to ever step foot into the octagon. He has a chance to prove his worth when he clashes with Islam Makhachev in the UFC 280 headliner next weekend.
While on the subject of the G.O.A.T., Michael Bisping suggested that fans should consider Charles Oliveira the greatest lightweight to ever live if he manages to earn a convincing win over the sambo specialist on October 22.
"At the top of the food chain, the king is Khabib... But is he the best? Is he really? [Or] is Charles Oliveira in fact the greatest lightweight of all time, because he might just be... If Islam Makhachev beats Charles Oliveira, this conversation doesn't even matter... Who is the GLOAT.? Who gets to gloat?... I think if Charles beats Islam this weekend, I think that belongs to Charles now. I really do, I think he will have surpassed him, simply because he's taking out all the top contenders... You cannot deny the numbers, the momentum, the history that Oliveira's making."
Islam Makhachev not only has the chance to achieve his dreams and capture a UFC title, but also keep the legacy of his life-long friend and training partner, Khabib Nurmagomedov, firmly intact.
Check out what Michael Bisping had to say about the greatest lightweight of all time in the video below.
Should Khabib Nurmagomedov be considered the lightweight G.O.A.T.?
Despite only ever competing against a handful of elite talent in his division due to his premature retirement, Khabib Nurmagomedov cannot be snubbed when discussing the greatest of all time in his weight-class.
Leaving the sport with an record of 29-0, the 34-year-old is one of the few fighters in MMA to become a champion and retire undefeated. He is also tied for the most title defenses in lightweight division history even though he left competition as a young man.
With bulldozing wins over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and Edson Barboza, Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most dominant fighter in the history of MMA.
'The Eagle' will forever be a 'what-if' story in the UFC, as he could have gone on to comfortably be considered the greatest athlete the sport has ever seen, but for now, he just remains in the conversation.