According to Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White, there’s no debate as to who deserves to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts.
Islam Makhachev recorded his 14th consecutive win and third title defense with a fifth-round submission victory over Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 302 on Saturday night, but White believes current heavyweight champion Jon Jones still has the better resume.
“he [Makhachev] “One of the greatest fighters of all time. I think he’s great. I don’t think he’s the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound,” White said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “To call Islam the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound when Jon Jones is still fighting is insane and if you really believe that, Islam shouldn’t be on any pound-for-pound rankings, he shouldn’t be on any rankings.”
“Jon Jones has never lost. He’s fought the best guys in the world. And when you think about what pound-for-pound rankings really mean, he moved up to heavyweight and beat the best guy in the world. As long as Jon Jones is still fighting and active and ranked, nobody is going to lose.” [else] Pound-for-pound, he’s the best fighter in the world.”
Jones, the longtime UFC light heavyweight champion, returned from a three-year hiatus in March 2023 to win the vacant heavyweight title with a first-round submission victory over Ciril Gane. “Bones” was scheduled to defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 last November but was forced to withdraw due to a torn pectoral muscle. The Jones-Miocic fight is expected to be rescheduled for later this year, but critics will likely cite the heavyweight champion’s inactivity in recent years as a reason to downgrade him in the pound-for-pound discussion.
However, Jones’ unbeaten streak now stands at 19, blemished only by a no contest against Daniel Cormier in 2017. His only official loss was by disqualification against Matt Hamill, a controversial decision in a fight Jones appeared to be heading to win.
“Let’s talk about activism,” White said. “In the three-year hiatus, nobody… [Muhammad] Ali, no fighter has ever taken a three year break and been the same again. Jon Jones took a three year break and beat the number one heavyweight like it was nothing.
“Jon Jones is the best of all time. Ever. And by best of all time, I mean in any combat sport. He’s the best of all time. You throw Jon Jones in a room with anybody, Jon Jones will walk out the room.”
Makhachev, currently ranked No. 1 in Sherdog’s pound-for-pound rankings, has expressed interest in moving up to 170 pounds in an attempt to become a two-division world champion, but Makhachev’s two previous lightweight title defenses have come against former 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski, and White argues that’s not as impressive as Jones moving up a weight class.
“When you think about what pound-for-pound actually means,
[Makhachev] “He fought Volkanovski at a lower weight class,” White said. “Jon Jones beat everybody at light heavyweight and then at a higher weight class he beat the best heavyweight in that division like it was nothing.”
White’s praise did not go unnoticed by its intended recipient, as Jones, despite his somewhat limited knowledge of mixed martial arts history, took to social media to thank the UFC boss.
“It’s awesome to receive that level of recognition from the boss who’s been here since UFC 1,” Jones wrote on X. “The haters aren’t going to like his comments but Dana is a pretty tough guy to argue with. Dana White has had a front row seat to my entire career. Facts are facts.”
It was awesome to get that level of recognition from the boss who’s been here since literally UFC 1. The haters aren’t going to like his comments, but Dana is a pretty hard guy to argue with. Dana White
I’ve had a front row seat to it my entire career, and the fact is…
— BONY (@JonnyBones)
June 2, 2024
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