INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Transfer over, Jon Jones: There’s a brand new UFC pound-for-pound No. 1 in Dana White’s e-book.
Whereas light-weight champion Islam Makhachev formally has been ranked because the promotion’s pound-for-pound greatest for fairly a while, White has spent the previous 12 months vehemently making the case for Jones. However that modified Saturday evening after Makhachev submitted alternative Renato Moicano within the first spherical of the UFC 311 predominant occasion at Intuit Dome.
“Yeah, I’ll give it to him,” White instructed reporters, together with MMA Junkie, through the UFC 311 post-event information convention. “Are you cheerful? Is all people blissful now?”
Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) additional solidified himself because the pound-for-pound greatest fighter on the earth together with his fifth consecutive title protection, which surpassed Khabib Nurmagomedov, Benson Henderson and B.J. Penn for essentially the most in divisional historical past. The end of Moicano was additionally his fifteenth win in a row, a mark that stands because the second most within the historical past of the UFC behind solely Anderson Silva’s 16.
Contemplating these new accolades on his resume, White went as far as to name Makhachev the best light-weight of all time.
“Hundred p.c, there’s little question about it,” White mentioned. “He’s the pound-for-pound greatest on the earth, and he’s undoubtedly the perfect to ever do it in that division.”
Makhachev initially was slated to combat Arman Tsaurkyan in a rematch, however Tsarukyan pulled out throughout Friday’s weigh-ins due to a again damage. The truth that Makhachev didn’t again down from the last-minute change to Moicano would possibly’ve been what actually put him excessive in White’s thoughts.
“Islam was keen to combat anyone,” White mentioned. “He’s stayed lively, and he went out tonight and carried out the way in which a man ought to on a short-notice combat whenever you’re the perfect on the earth, and also you’re the champion.”
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