Islam Makhachev reacted over not being ranked number one on the updated pound-for-pound ranking despite his recent victory over Alexander Volkanovski.
Islam Makhachev isn't surprised 😤 pic.twitter.com/qxjATC0NCb
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) February 15, 2023
A thrilling bout between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski took place at the RAC Arena in Perth for the highly anticipated UFC 284 lightweight battle. Makhachev retained his lightweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Alexander Volkanovski by scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46.
https://youtu.be/25jX-5_Fpy4
Having defeated the current featherweight champion, Dagestan’s Islam Makhachev (24-1 MMA) was widely predicted to become the new pound-for-pound best fighter. The Russian boxer quickly declared himself the best in the world after his victory over Volk, but the most current P4P ranking disproves this.
Following UFC 284, Volkanovski retained his top position in the pound-for-pound rankings, with Makhachev still remaining in the second spot. This means that the relative standings of the two combatants are the same as they were before the event.
Islam Makhachev: streak buster 😤 pic.twitter.com/L60gFIyvGY
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 14, 2023
The goal of the Dagestani mixed martial artist, which was to be the best fighter in the world, was crushed as soon as the new rankings were announced. During an interview with the Russian news outlet ‘Za Khabiba, Makhachev voiced his frustration with the rating.
“The road home is always good, no matter how long you fly. About the rankings, I never expected justice and still don’t, because we saw on the example of our other fighters, (Magomed) Ankalaev, Petr Yan, saw the attitude toward us always. The main thing, I flew 13,000 kilometers there, defeated their champion. They raised my hand, and with a raised hand, confidently with a belt flew home.” said Makhachev.
The 31-year-old Russian fighter is not only disappointed because he is not the number one P4P in the world, but also that other Russian MMA fighters are not obtaining their proper spots in the ranking. However, The welterweight superstars Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman are placed third and fourth, respectively, in the recent pound-for-pound rating.
Islam Makhachev reacts to the UFC's latest pound-for-pound rankings.
📰 https://t.co/GHTXQK3Fyx pic.twitter.com/mQ0f8UZ19P
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 15, 2023
Who, in your opinion, more justly deserves the title of best pound-for-pound fighter in the world: Islam Makhachev or Alexander Volkanovski?
