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Topics: UFC, Dana White, Jon Jones, MMA, Georges St Pierre, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Anderson Silva
Ben McCrum
Topics: UFC, Dana White, Jon Jones, MMA, Georges St Pierre, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Anderson Silva
UFC president Dana White has weighed in on the heated debate over the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the organisation.
UFC 303 took place in Las Vegas, Nevada last night, with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira facing former champion Jiri Prochazka in the main event.
The pair accepted the fight on short notice, replacing Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler which was postponed due to a toe injury which forced the Irishman to pull out.
And, in a nearly exact repeat of the first fight between the two men in November last year, Pereira won the fight, knocking Prochazka out early in the second round.
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The dominant performance from the Brazilian has led to some fans claiming that Pereira is now the pound-for-pound best fighter in the organisation.
But when a reported posed the idea to UFC president Dana White at the post-fight press conference, things got heated.
White responded: “People aren’t giving Jon Jones the respect for pound-for-pound. This f****** guy destroyed the best heavyweight in the division, easily made it look like nothing.
“Jon Jones is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world and the greatest fighter ever. Period. End of story.”
With 27 wins and only 1 loss via disqualification, current heavyweight champion Jones is widely seen as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time alongside Georges Saint-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Khabib Nurmagemedov.
But, with Jones’ last fight taking place in March last year when he beat Ciryl Gane to claim the heavyweight belt, the reporter pointed out that this inactivity dethrones Jones as pound-for-pound number one.
“It’s not like he was just f****** sitting around and doesn’t want to fight, it’s the first injury he’s ever had," White added.
“I’m not defending Jon Jones, Jon Jones has been one of my biggest f****** headaches in the entire time I’ve been in this company.
“No matter what you think of Jon Jones, he’s the f****** best ever and he’s the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.
“As an educated adult who knows the fight business, you cannot deny that while Jon Jones is active, he is the greatest fighter in the world. I don’t even know how we are in this conversation!”
Jones was set to fight former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in November 2023, but, after sustaining a pectoral injury, the fight was called off and is expected to take place later this year.