It’s just been a few days since Justin Gaethje battered Ilia Topuria to submission in a massive upset to become the new lightweight champion in their UFC Freedom 250 headliner. Yet, for some reason, the comparisons with the greats have already begun taking shape. Now, ‘The Highlight’ is being compared to none other than Khabib Nurmagomedov, a man who beat him in two rounds almost six years ago at UFC 254. What makes it even more surprising is that the statement came from one of ‘The Eagle’s closest friends in the UFC.

According to Khabib’s friend, Kamaru Usman, Justin Gaethje has finally surpassed the undefeated legend as the most “decorated” lightweight of all time in the UFC.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it right now,” Usman said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. “[Justin Gaethje is] the most decorated UFC lightweight. The most decorated lightweight.”

“Over Khabib Nurmagomedov? Over BJ Penn? Over Charles Oliveira?” asked his co-host and fellow UFC veteran Henry Cejudo.

“Yes! Here, Henry, let me tell you this. Let me tell you why. I’m not saying he’s the best lightweight ever. I’m not saying he has the most wins. I’m not saying all that. I’m saying the most decorated,” Kamaru Usman clarified. “What I mean by that is, listen, Justin Gaethje has a title from a different organization. He came in with a title. Not only a title, he had a title from a different organization and defended it multiple times, to where he came into the UFC undefeated with that title.

“He came into the UFC, and every fight he’s been in, he’s had a bonus. On top of that, he’s the first two-time interim champion in UFC history. That’s two different belts right there, two different titles. Also, let’s put a BMF title on top of that. And now let’s put an undisputed belt on top of that. The most decorated lightweight we’ve ever seen.”

Justin Gaethje indeed came into the UFC already as a champion. He was the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) lightweight champion, and he managed to defend it five times before making his UFC debut in 2017. He also has 17 post-fight bonuses in just 16 UFC fights, making him the man with the highest bonuses-per-fight rate in the promotion’s three-decade-long history. Oh, and lest we forget, by beating Ilia Topuria this past Sunday, he also became the oldest fighter to win the undisputed UFC lightweight title at 37 years and 71 days. So when Usman calls him the most “decorated” lightweight of all time, he’s not too far off.

However, the former welterweight champion calling Gaethje more decorated than Khabib is difficult to swallow considering the close ties he has to the lightweight legend and the rest of his team. In fact, almost all of them are managed by Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Still, Usman managed to put that association aside and share his blunt perspective.

In comparison to Gaethje, Khabib Nurmagomedov was the Tsumada FC and Atrium Cup champion in the late 2000s. But he did not defend the title in either promotion. In the UFC too, the lightweight great only defended his title three times before retiring in 2020 (his last win was over Justin Gaethje). While he wasn’t as decorated, his run in the UFC was more dominant than any champion before him. He remained unscathed and undefeated while beating other greats like Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.

So, in terms of total championships, title defenses, and bonuses, Gaethje definitely has a big edge over Khabib Nurmagomedov. But when it comes to pure skill and dominance over his opponents, the Dagestan native remains the king of the lightweights. ‘The Eagle’ dominated the current lightweight champion when he was still in his prime.

In fact, Justin Gaethje himself, after his big win, claimed that Ilia Topuria was his second-toughest challenge after Khabib Nurmagomedov, and that alone should sum up who was the best fighter at 155 lbs. Now, as the debate continues, Jorge Masvidal has made a claim that not many can refute.

Jorge Masvidal claims Justin Gaethje is the UFC’s biggest star right now   

The 37-year-old might not have the brashest personality in the UFC. But his multiple bloody encounters with the division’s top lightweights propelled him into stardom as one of the most entertaining fighters in the promotion. Still, his inability to capture the undisputed title always kept him one step away from reaching true superstar status.

However, after pulling off a massive upset against Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250, a spectacle that embodied American patriotism, with millions of fans watching, Jorge Masvidal felt the Arizona native could very well be the biggest star in the promotion.

“Gaethje is the biggest star in the UFC now, by far,” Masvidal told Snabber. “He’s the biggest name in the sport after a card like that and a performance like that. That is literally one of the best fights I’ve seen in my life. Not only was it violent and vicious from the start, but it was the highest level of the sport—the techniques, the setups, the feints, the athleticism of both competitors.

“This was the best way to showcase what our beautiful sport is. It was one of the greatest events I’ve ever seen in my life. Incredible. I can’t even fathom what they did there. I don’t think it will ever be done again, and I’m dying to see what the views got online. I’m left speechless with this event.”

Though the UFC has other popular champions like Sean Strickland and Alexander Volkanovski on the roster, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Justin Gaethje has possibly reached that level, if not surpassed them. That said, if he actually makes a few title defenses, there will be little doubt that ‘The Highlight’ is, in fact, one of the best, not just among the lightweights, but all over.