Uh oh, somebody hide the latest UFC pound-for-pound rankings from Dana White.
After the UFC boss passionately argued with MMA reporter Kevin Iole about how heavyweight champion Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) should be No. 1 pound-for-pound over lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, he’ll very likely lose his mind after the most recent update coming out of UFC 303.
“This is the problem with the conversation that we’re having here and why people aren’t giving Jon Jones the respect for pound-for-pound,” White said during the UFC 303 post-fight news conference.
“This f*cking guy destroyed the best heavyweight in the division. Easily made it look like nothing. Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world and the greatest fighter f*cking ever, period, end of story.”
White won’t be thrilled, but light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) moved up two spots to No. 2 ahead of Jones (No. 3) and welterweight champion Leon Edwards (No. 4) after knocking out Jiri Prochazka in their title-fight rematch this past Saturday.
Jones sitting at No. 3 is sure to anger White.
Dana White might lose his mind on vacation.
Islam Makhachev remains No. 1 in the latest pound-for-pound rankings update, while Alex Pereira ascends to No. 2 following his #UFC303 win.
That means Jon Jones falls to No. 3. pic.twitter.com/y14MQUT2jk
— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) July 2, 2024
Iole’s argument was that activity plays a factor. Makhachev has fought this past October and in June, whereas Pereira has fought four times in the past year.
Meanwhile, Jones has only competed once in over four years. He was scheduled to defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 but withdrew due to injury. Their fight is expected to be rebooked by the end of the year.
For whatever reason, White made it very clear that he doesn’t hold the inactivity against Jones.
“He got hurt,” White said. “He was trying to fight. It’s not like he’s just f*cking sitting around and doesn’t want to fight. The guy came to fight. It’s the first injury he’s ever had. And listen to me! I’m not defending Jon Jones. Jon Jones has been one of my biggest f*cking headaches in the entire time that I’ve been in this company. The guy hasn’t been the model fighter in the company. No matter what you think of Jon Jones, he’s the f*cking best ever, and he’s the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.
“If you were coming into a fight and you f*cking got hurt, that means you’re not the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world anymore? How does that even make sense? It doesn’t make sense. If he was sitting out and f*cking getting arrested and running around or whatever and you’re like, ‘Well, Jon Jones is inactive.’ I’d say, ‘Maybe you’re right.’ But as an educated adult who knows the fight business, you cannot deny that, while Jon Jones is active, he is the greatest fighter in the world.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.
