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Dana White Declares Jon Jones Is the New Pound for Pound King of MMA

Anderson Silva’s historic loss on Saturday night sent ripples through the MMA world that were far reaching beyond just the middleweight division, where he reigned as champion for seven years and 10 straight fights. Silva’s iconic run as champion was al…

Anderson Silva‘s historic loss on Saturday night sent ripples through the MMA world that were far reaching beyond just the middleweight division, where he reigned as champion for seven years and 10 straight fights.

Silva’s iconic run as champion was also elevated as he jumped up in weight on three different occasions earning him the status as the greatest fighter of all time, but he was also widely recognized as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

He no longer holds that distinction after being knocked out by Chris Weidman on Saturday night.

While the pound-for-pound list is completely subjective, it’s still a topic that comes up often and holds weight with many fans, journalists and fighters in the industry.

So with Silva now relinquishing that spot for the first time in years, who takes over the slot as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world?

“Jon Jones,” UFC president Dana White answered when asked that very question after the end of the UFC 162 post-fight press conference.

Jones is currently the top-ranked UFC light heavyweight champion, standing alone at the top of one of the toughest divisions in the history of the promotion.

With an 18-1 record overall (his one loss was by disqualification in a fight he was winning), Jones is almost the picture of perfection, thus far, in his UFC and entire MMA career.

He won the title by beating a former Pride legend and UFC champion in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and has gone on to defeat four more former champions as well during his reign. He’s also been devastating with nine finishes in his 12 UFC wins.

Jones will next face Alexander Gustafsson in the main event of UFC 165 headed to Toronto on September 21. If Jones is victorious, he will stand alone as the greatest UFC light heavyweight champion with six consecutive title defenses in a row.

The current record is five title defenses held by Jones and former UFC champion Tito Ortiz.

As for Silva, one loss doesn’t completely take him out of the discussion as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.

White believes that the former middleweight champion earned his spot at the top long enough that he shouldn’t fall very far—even after being knocked out by Weidman. As a matter of fact, in his rankings, Silva would still sit higher than the man who just beat him.

“Anderson’s still on the list,” White stated. “I’d still put him above Weidman.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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UFC 162 Results: Memorable Quotes and Images from Silva vs. Weidman Fight Card

UFC 162 ended with one of the more shocking victories in UFC history, when Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva in the second round of the main event. The knockout ended the 10-fight title reign and 16-fight unbeaten streak of Silva, while extendin…

After the fight, Weidman, and many of the other competitors on Saturday’s fight card, spoke about their bouts.

*All quotes provided by the UFC.

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UFC 162 Video Highlights: Chris Weidman Knocks Out Anderson Silva

In the end, it wasn’t age that caught up with Anderson Silva—it was hubris. Silva has made a career out of clowning his opponents when he felt that they didn’t deserve to be in the Octagon with him. We saw that in his last fight…

In the end, it wasn’t age that caught up with Anderson Silva—it was hubris.

Silva has made a career out of clowning his opponents when he felt that they didn’t deserve to be in the Octagon with him. We saw that in his last fight when he moved up to light heavyweight to take on Stephan Bonnar.

Silva, ignoring the pleas of his corner, stood directly in front of Bonnar and invited him to try and hit him. Bonnar was game, but Silva seemed to elude every strike before deciding he had toyed with his opponent long enough, finishing his opponent with a first-round TKO.

It looked like the longtime middleweight champion was going to do the same to Chris Weidman.

Silva began taunting Weidman in the first round, practically begging him to take a swing at his chin. Weidman stayed focused and didn’t lose his cool, even when the champion gave him a quick peck on the cheek to end the first stanza.

Between rounds, Weidman’s corner told him, “I want you to punch a hole in his f***ing chest, that’s what I want. Everything else is good, don’t get careless.”

Silva should have been given the same advice. Well, at least the careless part.

The champion looked to taunt Weidman again, even feigning injury when a left hook landed flush on his chin. Unfortunately, the shots that followed did legitimately hurt Silva, dropping him to the canvas and ending his seven-year reign as a UFC champion.

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UFC 162 Full Fight Video Highlights: Chris Weidman KO’s Anderson Silva

If you’re a fan of mixed martial arts you’re going to hear the phrase “I told you so” a lot over the next few days. You’ll especially here that phrase if you’re like me and picked Anderson Silva to defeat Chris Weidm…

Oh, there was a stoppage, but I never imagined that the man that we would see helped to his stool would be Anderson Silva. Yet there he was, the recipient of a very important lesson at the hands of Weidman. That lesson, to quote The Big Lebowski, “sometimes you eat the bar (bear), and sometimes…well, he eats you.”

Weidman opened the fight with a takedown; no surprise there, but he couldn’t do much from the ground, and the fight went back to standing. Once there the Anderson Silva show began.

You know that show if you’ve watched Silva over the years. The hands down around the waist, the taunts, the movement that puts him right outside of every strike his opponent throws. Silva even added a new wrinkle to the mix when he hugged and kissed Weidman on the cheek to end the first round.

The taunts did not stop to open the second round, but Weidman kept his cool, doing what he could to stay in the fight. With a little more than a minute elapsed in the second round, Weidman caught Silva and dropped him. From there he pounced, laid down some ground-and-pound and brought referee Herb Dean in to call the fight.

Just like that, the UFC has a new middleweight champion, and his name is Chris Weidman.

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Chris Weidman KOs Anderson Silva: What We Learned from UFC 162 Main Event

We have a new champion.At UFC 162, middleweight champion Anderson Silva spent most of his time in the Octagon taunting opponent Chris Weidman. And unlike so many opponents before him, Weidman was able to make the GOAT pay.As Silva mocked Weidman by fei…

We have a new champion.

At UFC 162, middleweight champion Anderson Silva spent most of his time in the Octagon taunting opponent Chris Weidman. And unlike so many opponents before him, Weidman was able to make the GOAT pay.

As Silva mocked Weidman by feigning injury, following a glancing left hook, Weidman landed a left hook that really injured the champ. Silva hit the floor, Weidman followed up with a few academic ground shots, and just like that, the guard changed.

The knockout win came at 1:25 of the second round. The future for the 38-year-old Silva (33-5) and the 29-year-old Weidman (10-0) are now very different than they were 24 hours ago.

What we’ll remember about this fight

What will you remember? It’s probably the same thing I’ll remember. Anderson Silva lost for the first time in seven years and for the first time since having a UFC belt around his waist.

What we learned about Anderson Silva

He’s human. Silva seemed, at times, above the laws of physics, dodging dangerous strikes with Matrix-like precision. But at UFC 162, he took it too far. He was wobbling in a mocking fashion while inside Weidman’s striking range, and Weidman had the knockout power to make him pay.

What we learned about Chris Weidman

He’s a champion. Weidman and those around him have made no secret about his desires. He consummated those desires Saturday night, thanks to his punching power, his takedowns and his ability and willingness to call Silva’s bluff.

What’s next for Silva

Some time off. Something will materialize. But as this is uncharted territory for all involved, it’s anyone’s guess what he might do.

What’s next for Weidman

First title defense. How about the winner between Michael Bisping and Costa Philippou, rumored to do battle this fall, according to Ariel Helwani of Fuel TV’s UFC Tonight (h/t Mike Bohn of MMA Mania)?

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UFC 162: What We Learned From Tim Boetsch vs. Mark Munoz

At UFC 162, two of the best wrestlers in the UFC middleweight division squared off when Tim Boetsch faced Mark Munoz. In the best shape of his MMA life, Munoz (13-3) had more technique, more power and more endurance Saturday night, and he pounded out a…

What we’ll remember about this fight

That heavy ground-and-pound from “The Flipino Wrecking Machine.” You could hear the Iron-Age hammerfists find their mark time and again on Boetsch’s turtled body. Munoz landed four takedowns to Boetsch’s one, and while this one started close, it didn’t end that way.

What we learned about Tim Boetsch

That intestinal fortitude for which he was widely lauded for in that come-from-behind win over Yushin Okami wasn’t in strong evidence at UFC 162. Boetsch appeared to fade as Munoz hit his stride. Not that I blame him (especially after those rib shots), but in the fight’s final minutes, it looked like Boetsch didn’t want to be there.

What we learned about Mark Munoz

That he’s back. The depression after losing to Chris Weidman and the weight gain and loss, it’s all well-documented. No one knew how he’d look in his UFC return. But he looked terrific, blending smoothness and violence in a classic ground-and-pound display. Maybe some day, this Mark Munoz could get a rematch with Weidman.

What’s next for Boetsch

Alan Belcher, a striker with good grappling, would be a very interesting test for the rugged Boetsch.

What’s next for Munoz

I vote for another outstanding grappler and one who recently won his UFC debut: a Mr. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

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