What happens when a former UFC champion casually fantasy books an MMA bout between a legend and a rising star? You get chaos, confusion, and, of course, you will rile up the fan base. That’s exactly what unfolded after Robert Whittaker’s recent appearance on his MMArcade Podcast, where he tackled the unthinkable, a potential bout between Prime Georges St-Pierre and Islam Makhachev. A question that set social media ablaze.

The clip of the discussion was shared on X by RedCornerMMA, and it started innocently enough. His co-host wanted Whittaker’s take on who would emerge victorious if ‘Prime’ GDP fought  current UFC Lightweight and Welterweight champion, Islam Makhachev. Whittaker did hesitate at first but then analyzed both fighters and shared his honest thought.

“GSP has got a good game to fight Makhachev. He’s got a really good game. He’s like a springy karate-esque fighter. Really, he likes punching from outside the distance, loves a scramble, has the cardio scramble, has really top tier jiu-jitsu. I honestly… I think Islam would get it done… Just because Islam, if the fight becomes a scramble off and a wrestle off, Islam’s going to come out of it better just because he’s built for it,” Robert Whittaker said.

He even lumped Khamzat Chimaev into that category of fighters engineered for ground dominance above all else. His summary of Makhachev’s style was blunt enough to make longtime GSP supporters wince.

“Islam, he’ll get you down and you ain’t getting back up sort of thing,” he concluded.

To understand why Robert Whittaker’s take hit so hard, you need to understand the aura that surrounds Georges St-Pierre. This is the man who defended the welterweight title nine times, retired with a 13-fight winning streak, and came back years later to win the middleweight belt. He wasn’t just a great welterweight. For many fans, he was the welterweight everyone else is measured against.

So when Whittaker suggested that Islam Makhachev, fresh off ragdolling Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 and becoming a double champion, would beat GSP, the MMA world reacted like someone had just slapped a crown off a king’s head, as we now shift our focus over to what the netizens had to say!

Fans disagree with Whittaker’s take on GSP vs Islam Makhachev fantasy matchup

One fan wrote, “Nah, what made GSP different was he was the one doing the taking down. He was one of the best ever at getting takedowns and maintaining control there.” This reaction taps into a shared sentiment among long-time UFC fans. GSP wasn’t just good at wrestling; he is what many would consider an elite. He ranks second all-time in UFC takedowns landed and often dictated where fights happened. To these fans, comparing his wrestling to Islam Makhachev’s is fair. But assuming he’d be stuck underneath the Dagestani champion is a misunderstanding of who ‘Rush’ truly was.

Another fan pointed out, “Volk got back up. Many times.” Alexander Volkanovski’s ability to survive, scramble, and get back to his feet at UFC 284 changed how many fans see Islam Makhachev’s dominance. If a smaller featherweight could repeatedly escape, then GSP, bigger, stronger, and historically conditioned for five rounds, might do even better. What do you think?

Someone else argued, “We’ve seen Dustin and Volk both get up from Islam takedowns, though.” Here, the argument expands. Both Dustin Poirier and Volkanovski showed moments of success against Makhachev’s grappling. While those moments didn’t win them the fight, fans point to them as evidence that Makhachev isn’t an unstoppable force, just an extraordinarily dominant one.

Another fan offered a more balanced perspective as they wrote, “It could go either way in my opinion, GSP is better at the feet, whereas it could go either way for the wrestling, it all matters on who’s the more complete fighter.” It’s not just striker vs. grappler. It’s hybrid vs. hybrid. Both men blend disciplines with rare fluidity. The question here, in fact is, who blends better?

Some also were in favor of Whittaker’s analysis. “Islam is the GOAT and it’s no more a question. Beating JDM has put Islam ahead of GSP.” Some fans believe the torch has already been passed. To them, Islam Makhachev’s dominance across two divisions, combined with the level of modern competition, elevates him above Georges St-Pierre’s era. Whether fair or not, it underscores a generational shift: newer fans see Islam as the standard, not the exception.

So, was GSP’s era defined by a level of mastery we’ll never see again, or has Islam Makhachev pushed the sport forward into a new age of control and precision? The reactions show just how split the community remains. Some fans stand firm in their belief that ‘Rush’s versatility, intelligence, and wrestling could neutralise anyone. Others see Makhachev’s relentless top pressure and historic run as proof that the sport has evolved past even its most decorated legends. Which side are you on in this debate? Let us know in the comments below!