ABU DHABI – Islam Makhachev is not happy with his standing in the UFC’s official pound-for-pound rankings, at all.
The UFC lightweight champion put the rankings on blast while taking a shot a UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones in the lead up to his return to the cage this Saturday. Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) headlines UFC 294 in a championship rematch against Alexander Volkanovski, who holds the title at 145 pounds.
He’s taking this fight on short notice, as Volkanovski is replacing an injured Charles Oliveira. He believes this is what champions should do, unlike Jones, who ranks ahead of him in the UFC’s official pound-for-pound rankings, and refused to fight late replacement Chael Sonnen back in 2012, thus getting UFC 151 canceled.
“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 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.
“They put him (Jon Jones) No.1, the No. 1 guy right now, (but) who he beat in his last five fights? We don’t have some names in the top pound-for-pound rankings. I just want to say about the rankings and all these things, this is bullsh*t, and I’m not following anymore.”
Makhachev beat Volkanovski back in February at UFC 284. At the time, it was No. 1 fighting No. 2 on the UFC pound-for-pound list.
Makhachev, then No. 2, defeated No. 1 in Volkanovski, yet just a few months later he sits at No. 3 behind Volkanovski and Jones. That doesn’t sit well with him.
“Because last time I beat (him) already,” Makhachev said when asked why he had an issue with the rankings. “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.”
It didn’t take long for Jones to see these comments and fire back at Makhachev. Below, you can see Jones’ response to Makhachev’s comments.
