Anthony Pettis doesn’t think Khabib Nurmagomedov is the lightweight GOAT: “He won the world title fighting Al Iaquinta”

Anthony Pettis isn’t certain that Khabib Nurmagomedov is the lightweight GOAT as many tend to think.

Following Nurmagomedov’s submission win over Justin Gaethje to defend his belt for the third time, he announced his retirement from MMA. He retired at 29-0 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year but Pettis doesn’t think ‘The Eagle’ is the 155lbs GOAT as many think.

“You know, I think – I moved down to ‘45, I fought at ‘70 – I fought all over the place,” Pettis said to LowKick MMA. “It’s hard to say Khabib (Nurmagomedov) because he didn’t fight everybody. He won the world title fighting Al Iaquinta.

“Al Iaquinta wasn’t even ranked at the time, so, you know,” Pettis continued. “And then he fought some good guys after that and then he retired, so it’s hard to say he’s the GOAT. He’s definitely one of the best. But like, guys like B.J. Penn, you know – like that’s a guy for me that, you know, if he wouldn’t have came back and lost a couple of fights, we all would be talking about B.J. as the GOAT, you know, one of the first.”

Anthony Pettis is also not the first lightweight to have similar comments as many have been critical of who Nurmagomedov fought early in his UFC tenure. However, the Dagestani fighter did retire undefeated which not many fighters can say.

As for Pettis, he’s also a former UFC lightweight champion and is currently competing in the PFL lightweight division. He’s set to face Stevie Ray in the semifinals after losing by submission to Ray in the second fight of the regular season.

Should he get past Ray and also win the PFL lightweight finals, it would help cement his legacy as he would be a UFC and PFL champion.

What do you make of Anthony Pettis thinking Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t the GOAT?