UFC Rankings Update: Alex Volkanovski retains No.1 P4P spot, former champion bumped off the list
Alex Volkanovski has maintained his spot at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings despite coming up short against Islam Makhachev this past weekend. Following the recently concluded UFC 284 main event, there has been a shuffle in the UFC's official rankings.
#AndStill Alexander Volkanovski keeps the number-one position in the latest UFC P4P rankings update following his #UFC284 defeat.
#UFC #MMA https://t.co/jjqGRLdYqj
The updated list shows former featherweight champion Max Holloway returning to the pound-for-pound ranks in the No.15 position. Considering his three-fight history with Volkanovski, seeing him back on the list is unsurprising. However, his re-entry bumped off former flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo.
'Deus da Guerra' last fought against Brandon Moreno in their historic tetralogy bout at UFC 283 and lost his title to the Mexican fighter. Elsewhere in the pound-for-pound rankings, former light heavyweight champions Jon Jones and Jiri Prochazka traded places. 'Bones' moved up to the No.10 spot, whereas 'Denisa' dropped to No.11.
The welterweight division saw some interesting developments as well. Jack Della Maddalena debuted in the division's rankings at the No.14 spot after his spectacular first-round finish against Randy Brown at UFC 284. His entry pushed Michel Pereira down to No.15.
Elsewhere, Michael Chiesa traded places with Neil Magny, going down to No.13 while Magny went up to the No.12 spot.
Jack Della Maddalena enters the top 15 after his win at #UFC284!!! https://t.co/6jlLD3XrXk
Alex Volkanovski doesn't believe Islam Makhachev should claim the P4P No.1 spot
Alex Volkanovski faced Islam Makhachev in the headliner of UFC 284, and the two champions showcased one of the most nerve-wracking title fights in recent memory. With the lightweight title and pound-for-pound No.1 spot on the line, the stakes for this contest were high.
While Makhachev defeated Volkanovski via judges' decision, 'The Great' held on to his throne as the pound-for-pound king. Based on how close their contest was, many within the MMA community believe that Alex Volkanovski should've gotten his hand raised instead.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, the 34-year-old Australian weighed in on the same and claimed that Makhachev didn't do enough to replace him at the top of the pound-for-pound list:
"Pound-for-pound, again... I still think I proved that I'm the better fighter and I'm pound-for-pound No.1, but that's not up to me."
'The Great' also mentioned that he would make easy work of the Dagestani fighter at featherweight:
"I don't wanna be that guy but if he was just a featherweight in my division, I squash him. I squash him and it's a walk in the park... I don't need him to be a featherweight."
Watch the full episode below: