The controversy over who’s the highest pound-for-pound fighter on the earth is a hot-button subject. Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has held the place for many of the previous decade. When he relinquished the sunshine heavyweight championship in 2020, it opened the door for others like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Alexander Volkanovski to stake declare to No. 1 spot.
When Jones returned three years later and received the heavyweight title, he was once more elevated to the highest spot within the pound-for-pound rankings. UFC CEO Dana White was one of many loudest voices in Jones’ favor to occupy the place however that has modified.
After light-weight champion Islam Makhachev’s UFC 311 efficiency on Saturday, White believes the 33-year outdated Russian is rightfully ranked because the No. 1 P4P fighter on the planet.
“He is already the pound-for-pound No. 1 rating,” White mentioned in the course of the UFC 311 Put up-Battle Press Convention. When questioned if he ranked Makhachev at No. 1, White answered, “Yeah. I will give it to him.”
“Islam was prepared to battle anyone. He stayed lively and he went out and carried out the way in which a man ought to on a short-notice battle when you find yourself one of the best on the earth and you are the champion,” White continued.
Makhachev is on a 15-fight successful streak. White does not solely contemplate him one of the best pound-for-pound fighter on the earth, he additionally thinks he is the best light-weight within the promotion’s historical past.
“There isn’t any doubt about it. He is one of the best pound-for-pound on the earth proper now and he is the utterly one of the best to ever do it in that division,” White mentioned.
