Dana White Says “Its Nuts” After Joe Rogan Insists on Islam Makhachev’s P4P Status at UFC 302 – “Jon Jones Is Still F***ing Fighting”

Dana White doesn’t think lightweight champion Islam Makhachev should be the pound-for-pound #1 ranked fighter in the UFC. Speaking to reporters at the UFC 302 post-fight press conference, after the 155-pound king pulled off a fifth-round submission victory over Dustin Poirier, the UFC CEO was asked his assessment of the Dagestani based upon what Joe Rogan had said about the latter.

“Joe Rogan on broadcast called Islam the perfect lightweight, just the size, the style of fighting, just his fight IQ. I’m curious like where do you rank him in the pantheon of lightweights?” a reporter asked him

And the UFC CEO, in his typically straightforward and blunt manner, said that he felt heavyweight champion Jon Jones should have the distinction of being the P4P king owing to his undefeated record and history of dominance, even calling out people who put Makhachev over ‘Bones’. He even went as far as to call out anyone who would rank Makhachev over the heavyweight champ as the best fighter in the promotion.

“I think he’s one of the greats of all time. I think he’s incredible. I don’t think he’s the pound for pound best fighter in the world. For anybody to call Islam Makhachev the pound for pound best fighter in the world with Jon Jones is still f***ing fighting is nuts. Shouldn’t be ranking in the pound for pound or doing any rankings ever,” he said.

Jones, of course, is considered the greatest mixed martial artist by many, including the UFC CEO. And ‘Bones’ was indeed listed as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC not too long ago. After he moved up to heavyweight and defeated Cyril Gane to win the heavyweight title, Bones had shot to the top of the men’s p4p rankings. However, Jones looks unlikely to get on the top of the p4p rankings even if he wins his next fight, despite going up against perhaps the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.

Jon Jones insistent on fighting Miocic despite backlash

There are rumors going around that Jones will face former champion and Dana White’s pick for the heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic at the Madison Square Garden in November. In fact, ‘Bones’ himself had claimed, in a now-deleted tweet, that he would be back in November.

Originally, of course, the two heavyweights were scheduled to fight last October at UFC 295. But, Jones got injured, tearing his pectoral muscle during a training session weeks from the bout. This then started a chain reaction that has, according to many, made this matchup obsolete.

As replacement for the Jones-Miocic main event bout, the UFC booked KO artist and heavyweight boogeyman Sergei Pavlovich to take on the prodigy Tom Aspinall for the interim 270-pound title as the co-main event of UFC 295.

Aspinall went on to defeat the Russian, who came into their bout on a seven-fight first-round KO streak, in 69 seconds to emerge as the new interim champ. And given that there is an unwritten law that an undisputed champ fights the interim champ to unify the title as soon as they are back, predictably, there have been calls for the GOAT contender to face the Englishman.

In addition, the 41-year-old Miocic is on his last legs, and last fought three years ago: a second-round knockout loss to Francis Ngannou. This is why most think Miocic will not be much of a threat to Jones and want to see the undisputed champ face Aspinall, instead.

Jones, however, has been remarkably obstinate in his refusal to fight the interim champ. The New Mexico resident has given a range of reasons, from Aspinall not being a big enough name to a win over the latter not doing much for his legacy as justification for, what many feel, ducking Aspinall. Which is why a win over Miocic will most likely not do much for the heavyweight champ’s p4p standings.

You can check out the results for UFC 302 here.