Being known as the pound-for-pound greatest fighter in the world is sometimes a career maker.
Fighters work so hard to earn the respect and overall appreciation of their peers, so just to be mentioned in the discussion is rewarding in itself.
Now while it is often thrown around in today’s sport, being the pound-for-pound best still holds ground. The interest and acclaim is still there.
So after UFC president Dana White stated that current UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman is on his way to earning that title, people took notice.
“[If Weidman beats Belfort] he’s the best,” said White during Thursday’s UFC on Fox 10 pre-fight presser, originally reported by MMA Underground. “How is he not No. 1 pound-for-pound in the world if he beats Vitor Belfort? It’s impossible not to call him the No. 1 pound-for-pound guy.”
Now while White seems certain that Weidman could achieve ultimate greatness, fans still have their reservations.
After beating the legendary Anderson Silva twice in 2013 by uneasy circumstances, not everybody believes that a flash knockout and a checked kick should supplant “The All-American” ahead of promotional mainstays like Jon Jones, Jose Aldo, Cain Velasquez, Renan Barao or Demetrious Johnson.
Remember, White recently claimed that Barao would be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world if he happens to beat Urijah Faber on Feb. 1 at UFC 169.
When asked about his conflicting comments, White explained in typical uncensored fashion saying, “If he beats Vitor, Barão’s f***ing No. 2!”
Weidman is expected to defend his middleweight crown against the red-hot Belfort sometime in May or July.
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