Is Conor McGregor still in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings?
Yes, Conor McGregor still holds a spot in the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings. As per the latest P4P rankings update, after UFC 258, Conor McGregor is ranked No.15 in the men's divisions. Prior to his TKO loss against Dustin Poirier in the UFC 257 rematch, Conor McGregor occupied the No.11 spot in the men's P4P (short for pound-for-pound) rankings. But the shock defeat has significantly affected the Notorious One's standing among the baddest men on the planet, resulting in him being dropped to the bottom of the list.
Reaching the top of the pound-for-pound rankings is the ultimate goal for UFC fighters but being on the list is a big achievement in itself irrespective of the spot occupied. Conor McGregor broke into the P4P rankings in 2015 after defeating Chad Mendez for the interim featherweight title at UFC 189. At the peak of his career, McGregor achieved the No. 2 spot when he became the first simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history.
As of February 19, 2021, Conor McGregor's fierce rival and UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is ranked No.1 in the pound-for-pound list while two of his previous opponents Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway occupy No.7 and No. 8 spot respectively.
Is Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov's place in the pound-for-pound rankings justified?
Pound-for-pound rankings are a way to determine the top 15 active fighters based on their recent fighting record, quality of opposition, manner of victories and popularity irrespective of the weight class. A designated panel of media personalities projects the direction in which a fighter's career is headed based on the above mentioned criteria and determines his or her position in the P4P rankings.
Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov are without a doubt two of the biggest superstars in MMA history. Since announcing his retirement in October 2020, Khabib has reiterated his intention to stay away from fighting in favor of new business ventures on numerous occasions but still sits atop the P4P list.
Conor McGregor has only had three fights in the UFC since his historic win over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 and holds a 1-2 record in the UFC from those outings.
The fact that the fighter's activity level and his recent record are a precondition for inclusion in the P4P list begs the question: Is Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov's place in P4P rankings really justified?
Even though they're not part of P4P list, fighters like Aljamain Sterling, Colby Covington and Cory Sandhagen are far more active and deserve to be ranked.
See Here: Conor McGregor's Salary & Endorsements