Islam Makhachev vanquished another top contender with his submission win over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 , but it’s still not enough to be considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. That’s according to UFC CEO Dana White , who had nothing but glowing praise for his UFC lightweight champion after Makhachev racked up his 14th straight victory on Saturday, however White refused to take that top spot away from heavyweight champ Jon Jones .
As long as Jones is still going strong and winning fights, White said, there’s nothing much Makhachev can do in his eyes except settle into the No. 2 spot and wait for Jones to retire. “I think he’s one of the greatest of all-time,” White said of Makhachev at the UFC 302 post-fight press conference.
“I think he’s incredible. I don’t think he’s the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. For anyone to call Islam the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world when Jon Jones is still f*cking fighting is nuts and shouldn’t be ranking in the pound-for-pound, or doing any of the f*cking rankings ever if that’s what you really think.
“Jon Jones has never lost a fight, ever. He’s fought all the baddest dudes in the world, and then when you think about what pound-for-pound rankings really mean — he moved up to heavyweight and destroyed the best guy in the world. As long as Jon Jones is still fighting, active and in the rankings, nobody [else] is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world.
” It’s certa.
