UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has publicly voiced his dissatisfaction with the current pound-for-pound rankings. The Dagestani fighter, presently ranked No. 3 in the men's category, sits just below Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski and Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. His disapproval was aired ahead of his fight this Saturday.
Makhachev Criticizes Rankings
Makhachev didn't hold back as he criticized the existing rankings during Wednesday’s UFC 294 media day. He took a jab at Jon "Bones" Jones for declining a late replacement fight against Chael Sonnen, arguing that true champions should be ready to face anyone, regardless of circumstances.
"This is what UFC champions have to do," Makhachev declared. "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 offer him Chael Sonnen. If you're a real champion, you have to fight."
Beyond this, Makhachev questioned the decision to rank Jones as the top fighter, scrutinizing the quality of Jones' last five opponents. He described the rankings as unreliable and expressed his decision to stop following them.
Makhachev's Dissatisfaction
Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) will headline UFC 294 in a championship rematch against Volkanovski. Initially, Makhachev had been scheduled to face Charles Oliveira. However, due to an injury, "The Great" Volkanovski was named as the replacement on short notice.
The injury, a nasty cut above Oliveira's right eye, forced him to withdraw from the fight. Oliveira shared images of the cut on social media and apologized to his fans for the unfortunate turn of events.
Makhachev had previously faced Volkanovski at UFC 284. At that time, despite being ranked No. 2, 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. This led to Makhachev expressing his displeasure with the ranking system.
"Because last time I beat him already," Makhachev said, referring to Volkanovski. "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 these rankings."
Jones Responds to Criticism
Jon Jones responded to Makhachev's remarks on Twitter, wishing him all the best while directly mentioning Makhachev'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."
Fans praised Jones' classy response to the criticism. It’s worth noting that this isn't the first time Makhachev has criticized Jones regarding the pound-for-pound rankings. In a previous interview, the Russian fighter 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. Back in 2021, when he fell to No. 4 due to inactivity, he took a jab at middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya for his higher ranking despite his inability to defend takedowns.
In his upcoming bout, Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023. This marks his first defense of the heavyweight belt, which he secured after beating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023.