Dana White may never hear the end of it from fans after revealing his pick for the greatest welterweight in UFC history. But it doesn’t seem like he cares one bit. The debate is highly subjective, of course, yet for many mixed martial arts fans, the throne belongs to Georges St-Pierre or even BJ Penn. And it’s hard to argue against that.

With nine consecutive title defenses, a 2,204-day reign, and a 13-fight UFC win streak, GSP’s dominance was unmatched. He avenged both of his losses, defeated legends like Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, and Nick Diaz, and even returned years later to capture middleweight gold. Despite those accomplishments, Dana White sees things differently. 

Who is the welterweight GOAT, according to Dana White? 

Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry recently shared a behind-the-scenes look at their podcast episode featuring UFC CEO Dana White. During the conversation, Kamaru Usman took a moment to give White his flowers, despite the widespread criticism surrounding how he runs the UFC. Usman admitted that their relationship hadn’t always been smooth. 

White himself recalled, referencing their past disagreement when Usman claimed he fought at only “30 percent” after his bout with Emil Weber Meek. Still, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ said, “I just want to say I am grateful. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to even have a platform to change our family’s lives and our lives.” 

A gracious White responded, saying he felt “likewise,” before adding, “I’m sitting here today and I’ll f—king, whoever wants to debate it with me, that you’re the greatest welterweight of all time.” Hearing this, Usman graciously accepted the honor, replying, “I appreciate that.” Despite White’s bold claim, agreeing with him might be difficult for many. 

While Usman boasts an impressive 15-fight win streak and five title defenses, his 1,267-day reign falls short of Georges St-Pierre’s run. Usman also suffered back-to-back losses to Leon Edwards and never avenged them. Moreover, GSP went on to capture a second UFC title at middleweight, something Usman hasn’t accomplished. 

That said, Usman still ranks above BJ Penn in the welterweight GOAT discussion. His run far surpasses Penn’s short, undefended 200-day title stint. Usman also defeated prime contenders like Colby Covington twice and Jorge Masvidal, whereas Penn, despite shocking Matt Hughes once, vacated the belt and went 0–3 in subsequent welterweight title attempts. 

But now the question is, why did White snub St-Pierre? 

Georges St-Pierre revealed how Dana White prevented his boxing match

It’s no secret that Georges St-Pierre and Dana White have had a rocky relationship over the years. Tensions first flared after GSP’s controversial split-decision win over Johny Hendricks, when White sided with critics who believed Hendricks deserved the victory and openly slammed the judges. 

St-Pierre’s decision to step away from the sport soon after only widened the rift. However, what truly seemed to strain their relationship beyond repair was White’s move to block St-Pierre’s proposed boxing match against Oscar De La Hoya. This bout could’ve marked a unique crossover moment for the former UFC champion.

In 2021, speaking on The MMA Hour, St-Pierre said he was approached for a 170-pound “novelty fight” against De La Hoya, with proceeds going to charity. “I thought it would be a fun thing to do,” he explained, noting that he would’ve trained with Freddie Roach for the bout. However, despite St-Pierre’s enthusiasm, White refused to grant permission. 

“I even called [former UFC owner] Lorenzo [Fertitta] to try to convince Dana,” he said. “Lorenzo liked the idea, but Dana did not want it.” According to GSP, White told him he didn’t want Triller “to make money off my back while I’m still under contract with UFC.” St-Pierre added, “I caught Dana White’s bluff… He had a lot of heat for not letting me fight.”

Having said that, while Dana White clearly sees Kamaru Usman as the more accomplished welterweight, it’s difficult to overlook his feud with Georges St-Pierre. But do you agree with his choice?