In a recent turn of events, UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has voiced his disapproval of his current pound-for-pound ranking. The Dagestani fighter currently sits at No. 3 in the men’s category, trailing behind featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Makhachev's Criticism of Rankings
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Makhachev criticized the rankings and took a jab at Jon "Bones" Jones as he prepares for his fight this Saturday. Makhachev held firm that champions should be ready to face any challenger, unlike Jones, who had previously declined a late replacement fight against Chael Sonnen.
“This is what UFC champions have to do,” Makhachev said at Wednesday’s UFC 294 media day. “If you’re a real champion, you have to take a fight, no matter how many days' notice, or who it’s going to be. Not like your pound-for-pound champion when they give him Chael Sonnen. If you’re a real champion, you have to fight.”
He further questioned the decision to rank Jones as the top fighter and criticized the quality of Jones’ last five opponents. Describing the rankings as unreliable, Makhachev declared his decision to stop following them.
The Upcoming Rematch
Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) is set to headline UFC 294 in a championship rematch against Volkanovski. Initially, Makhachev was scheduled to face Charles Oliveira. However, due to an injury, "The Great" Volkanovski was named as the replacement on short notice.
Oliveira suffered a cut above his right eye, described as both “nasty” and “disgusting.” He took to social media to share images of the injury and apologize to his fans for having to withdraw.
Makhachev had previously faced Volkanovski last February at UFC 284. Despite being ranked No. 2 at the time, Makhachev triumphed over the No. 1-ranked Volkanovski. However, a few months later, he found himself at No. 3, with Volkanovski and Jones ahead of him, leading to his displeasure with the ranking system.
When asked about his issue with the rankings, Makhachev said, “Because last time I beat (him) already. The last fight, it was No. 2 vs. No. 1. If you beat No. 1, you have to be No. 1, but I don’t know who makes the rankings.”
Jones' Response
In response to Makhachev’s remarks, Jones took to Twitter, saying, “I wish you all the best Habibi,” while directly mentioning Makachev’s Twitter username.
“As far as the fight, may the best man win. I was just talking about life in general. Islam made some negative comments recently,” Jones added. “No need for me to respond with negativity. I have bigger fish to fry right now.”
Fans praised Jones for his classy responses. This isn't new, as Makhachev has criticized him about the pound-for-pound rankings on multiple occasions. In a prior interview, the Russian national questioned why Jones held the No. 1 ranking when he had only secured one victory in the last three years.
Jones himself has openly criticized the current UFC ranking system before. In 2021, when he fell to No. 4 due to inactivity, he took a jab at middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya.
“When you're ranked over Jon Jones on a pound-for-pound list but know you can’t defend a takedown,” he said on Twitter. “It’s funny seeing people have the satisfaction of being ranked over me when I’m not even competing. Just take me off that silly list.”
In his next bout, Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023. This marks his inaugural defense of the heavyweight belt, secured after defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023.