Former two-division champion highlights why Jon Jones should be above Islam Makhachev on UFC's P4P rankings: “He has shown fatigue”
A former UFC two-division champion recently shared his perspective on why he believes Jon Jones should be ranked higher than Islam Makhachev in the pound-for-pound standings. Jones secured a third-round knockout victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last weekend to retain his heavyweight title.
Despite his commanding win, 'Bones' climbed just one spot to claim the No. 2 position on the UFC P4P rankings, trailing reigning lightweight champion Makhachev. However, Henry Cejudo contends that Jones rightfully deserves the top spot.
During a recent episode of Pound 4 Pound, 'Triple C' asserted that Jones’ string of dominant performances sets him apart from Makhachev. He noted that while the heavyweight champion has consistently demonstrated his superiority, the Dagestani has struggled against certain contenders:
"After that performance that Jon Jones did, the way that he was able to do Stipe and just pick him apart, it's hard to not put Jon Jones as No. 1. Islam has struggled with people; he's shown fatigue in the past. Jon Jones has just been annihilating people and dominating people, and I just feel like, as much as I love Islam, I think he's at No. 2."
Check out Henry Cejudo's comments below (5:25):
'Bones' returned to the Octagon at UFC 309 after an extended hiatus of over a year. His previous appearance was at UFC 285 in March 2023, where he captured the heavyweight title with a dominant first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane.
Jon Jones and Dana White hold contrasting opinions on latest P4P rankings
Jon Jones appears content with his position in the latest P4P rankings update, particularly given that he's the oldest fighter featured on the list. 'Bones' turned to X and wrote:
"Being ranked number 2 pound per pound at 37 years old, I’m happy with that."
Check out Jon Jones' post below:
However, Jones' view on the rankings stands in stark contrast to Dana White’s perspective. The UFC CEO has been outspoken in his firm conviction that Jones is the best P4P fighter in the world, regardless of his activity.
White expressed strong criticism towards media members who placed 'Bones' at No. 2 following his victory over Stipe Miocic. He took to Instagram Stories, tagging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and doubled down on his suggestion to replace the ranking panel with artificial intelligence:
"I have to get rid of these CLOWNS!! @zuck, let’s get this AI deal done ASAP!!!!!"
Check out Dana White's post below:
