UFC President Dana White Calls Khabib Nurmagomedov The 'MMA GOAT' Ahead Of Jon Jones

But the UFC chief has since taken to social media and insisted that Khabib very much lays claim to the status of MMA GOAT in his eyes.

White tweeted: "congrats @TeamKhabib you accomplished EVERYTHING you set out to do [sic]. You are the P4P best fighter in the world and you truly are the G.O.A.T of the sport. #29-0."

Speaking after UFC 254, White called Khabib "one of the toughest human beings on the planet" and said people need to consider "putting him up there at GOAT status."

The UFC president explained: "He was in the octagon, we were all just standing around listening and you know, you could tell, I can tell, it almost smelled like an upset tonight.

"The way he reacted at the weigh-ins, the way he acted when he was walking out tonight. He didn't look like himself, taking deep breaths. But wow.

"What this guy's been through, we were all lucky that we got to see him fight tonight. And I'm hearing rumours of other things that I didn't know about that you guys will hear about when he comes out later.

"Apparently, he was in the hospital and he broke his foot three weeks ago. So he has two broken toes and a bone in his foot that is broken or something like that. That's what his corner was telling me. Never told anybody, walking around.

"So, I mean, he is one of the toughest human beings on the planet and he is just the No 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

"And seriously, you have to start putting him up there at GOAT status with whoever else you think is the GOAT."

However, White's comments didn't sit well with Jones and he made it clear where he stands on the GOAT and pound-for-pound debate.