MMA analyst Michael Chiesa is one of many who believe that Islam Makhachev has earned his spot on the Mount Rushmore of mixed martial arts.

Over the course of the last few years, Islam Makhachev has been on quite the path of destruction at both lightweight and welterweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He has beaten some incredible fighters and after seeing off the challenge of Ian Machado Garry, it certainly feels like he is well on his way to becoming the greatest of all time – depending on who you ask.

Islam Makhachev has a loss to his name which many would say should rule him out of discussions such as this, mainly because Jon Jones has never lost outside of a DQ, and his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov also retired with an unbeaten record. Still, Islam’s 17-fight win streak is something that nobody has ever achieved before at this level.

In a recent interview, Michael Chiesa gave his thoughts on the legacy that Islam Makhachev is carving out for himself.

Michael Chiesa on Islam Makhachev and MMA’s Mount Rushmore

“A lot of people would say it’s always going to be Georges,” Chiesa told MMA Junkie. “Now you can say he kind of superseded what Georges did. Georges went up to 185 and fought once. Now Islam, you see him, he went up to 170, and now he’s fought twice, and he doesn’t intend to go back down.

“I think you could say that he has surpassed Georges. We have to remember, too, I think we put a lot of stock into like, look who Georges fought. He fought Matt Hughes, he fought Johny Hendricks and things like that for us that have been ingrained in this sport for so many years. … I’ll take flack for saying this: I think he surpassed Georges.”

“I think, for me, the best of all time is, if I had a Mount Rushmore, it would be Demetrious Johnson, Islam Makhachev, Georges St-Pierre, and like I said, you’ve got to be a champion in and out of the octagon,” Chiesa continued. “I’m throwing Daniel Cormier in there. I’ll take heat for it.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Ian Shutts

A combat sports journalist specialising in MMA, Boxing and Muay Thai with a special interest in Asian combat sports.