UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has recently voiced his discontent with the current pound-for-pound rankings. The Dagestani fighter currently holds the No. 3 spot in the men’s category, trailing behind featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Makhachev's Criticism of the Rankings
In a press conference leading up to UFC 294, Makhachev didn't hold back his criticism for the ranking system and even took a swipe at Jon "Bones" Jones. Makhachev argued that true champions should be ready to face any opponent, regardless of the circumstances—a clear jab at Jones who previously declined a late replacement fight against Chael Sonnen.
"This is what UFC champions have to do," Makhachev stated during Wednesday’s UFC 294 media day. "If you’re a real champion, you have to take the fight, doesn’t matter how many days, 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."
Makhachev also questioned the decision to rank Jones as the top fighter and criticized the quality of Jones’ last five opponents. He described the rankings as unreliable and declared his decision to stop following them.
Upcoming Championship Rematch
Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) is set to headline UFC 294 in a championship rematch against Volkanovski. Originally, Makhachev was scheduled to face Charles Oliveira, but due to an injury, “The Great” was named as the replacement on short notice.
Oliveira suffered a nasty cut above his right eye, which he shared images of on social media, apologizing to his fans for the withdrawal. Makhachev had previously faced Volkanovski at UFC 284 in February. Despite being ranked No. 2 at the time, Makhachev triumphed over the No. 1-ranked Volkanovski. However, a few months later, he found himself ranked No. 3, with Volkanovski and Jones ahead of him.
"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," Makhachev said when asked about his issue with the rankings.
Jones' Response
Jon Jones responded to Makhachev’s remarks on Twitter, wishing him all the best. "I wish you all the best Habibi," Jones wrote, while directly mentioning Makachev’s Twitter username.
"As far as the fight, may the best man win. I was just talking about in life. Islam made some negative comments recently," Jones added. "No need for me to respond with negativity. I have bigger fish to fry right now."
Jones is no stranger to criticism about the pound-for-pound rankings. In a prior interview, Makhachev questioned why Jones held the No. 1 ranking when he had only secured one victory in the last three years. Jones has also openly criticized the current UFC ranking system before, notably when he fell to No. 4 due to inactivity in 2021, taking a jab at middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya.
In his next bout, Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023. This will be his inaugural defense of the heavyweight belt, which he secured after defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023.