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UFC Pound for Pound Rankings Updated Following UFC 294
The UFC pound for pound rankings have been updated and we've got some interesting shifts in the numbers to look at. UFC 294 saw Islam Makhachev leave no doubt as to where he stands, and that's as one of the best fighters in the UFC right now — but is he the best?
Well, the votes are in and the results are out; Islam Makhachev has bumped up in the ranks, but he's not quite where he wants to be at right now, but that may change soon seeing as the man to beat is likely to retire in a month. Below, you'll find the newly adjusted UFC pound for pound rankings.
UFC Pound for Pound Rankings – Jon Jones is Still the Best
Could the winner of this fight have a date with heavyweight champion Jon Jones in their future? Photo Credit: Abaca / Icon Sport
There was more on the line for Islam Makheachev and Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294. A chance at becoming the pound for pound best fighter in the world was a talking point headed into this bout. Makhachev was originally supposed to rematch Charles Oliveira, but an injury forced the UFC to start buzzing some phones, looking for a suitable replacement for this large event.
Volkanovski got the call and even seemed eager for this huge risk but a chance at redemption at UFC 294. Unfortunately for the featherweight champion, this short-notice fight ended in a devastating manner for him. Makhachev got the knockout in the first round by way of a cleverly disguised head kick.
This win did not place Makhachev at the number one spot in the pound for pound ranks, but instead, it swapped him and Volkanovski, now occupying the number two and three spots.
UFC Pound for Pound Rankings
Feb 12, 2023; Perth, WA, AUSTRALIA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Alexander Volkanovski (blue gloves) for the lightweight championship during UFC 284 at RAC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
- Jon Jones
- Islam Makhachev (+1)
- Alexander Volanovski (-1)
- Leon Edwards
- Charles Oliveira
- Sean O'Malley
- Sean Strickland (+1)
- Israel Adesanya (+1)
- Alexandre Pantoja (+1)
- Alex Pereira (+1)
- Aljamain Sterling (+2)
- Max Holloway
- Kamaru Usman (-6)
- Jiří Procházka
- Jamahal Hill
The number that's screaming at us here is that plummet that Usman took. He's arguably the best welterweight of all time, but this three-fight skid now has him on the outside of the P4P top ten. Of course, he did very well against one of the scariest fighters in the UFC and he did this on 11-days' notice and up a weight class. The rankings can be cruel, though.
Jon Jones remains the best fighter on the planet, but it's very close. Jon Jones has teased the thought of retirement after his UFC 295 main event fight against Stipe Miocic in a few weeks. Should he get the win here then retire, he'll be the P4P greatest for a bit longer, but once he's off of the roster, the next best is Makhachev.
The Wake of UFC 294
Apr 9, 2022; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Khamzat Chimaev (blue gloves) after a fight against Gilbert Burns (red gloves) during UFC 273 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Islam Makhachev had a near-perfect win against Volkanovski at UFC 294. There's not really anything else he could've done that would've better warranted him becoming the number one pound for pound fighter in the UFC. Perhaps it's just the short-notice nature of this win that didn't raise Makhachev to the number one spot.
If Jon Jones does indeed retire following his UFC 295 attempt to defend his heavyweight title, then it's Islam at number one. The lightweight champ isn't picky — he'll take on anyone that the UFC puts in front of him next. The UFC is allegedly looking at rebooking the rematch with Oliveira for the lightweight title. If Makhachev wins that one again, it's hard to think of anyone else more deserving of being the P4P best.
Usman took a hefty dip in the ranks and Khamzat Chimaev, now 13-0 with a win over a former champion, is sitting pretty cozy at the number nine spot in the middleweight ranks. He's right in the miz at 185lbs and he's even being talked about for being the next to fight Sean Strickland for the middleweight title.
Strickland would argue that Khamzat Chimaev hasn't done enough, but the UFC's opinion is the only one that matters when it comes to booking fights. We've only got exciting matches to make moving forward from UFC 294.
