Tag: pound-for-pound

Prominent MMA Manager Feels Dana White Has Been ‘Playing’ Media With Jon Jones P4P Talk

Renowned MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz recently asserted that he believes Dana White has been manipulating the media with his steadfast endorsement of Jon Jones’ status in the UFC pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings. White has dedicated a tremendous investment of effort in the past few months to championing Jones as the definitive leader in any conversation about […]

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Renowned MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz recently asserted that he believes Dana White has been manipulating the media with his steadfast endorsement of Jon Jones’ status in the UFC pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings.

White has dedicated a tremendous investment of effort in the past few months to championing Jones as the definitive leader in any conversation about the greatest P4P fighter in the world.

The UFC CEO has been observed passionately debating with MMA journalists at multiple press conferences, reiterating his stance that ‘Bones’ rightfully claims the pinnacle position. This assertion is based not only on Jones’ reign of dominance in the UFC’s light heavyweight division throughout his career but also on his successful ascent to the heavyweight.

Numerous voices within the MMA community have sought to challenge White’s claim by pointing to Jones’ inactivity in the Octagon, contending that reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev should be recognized as the rightful leader in the rankings. However, the UFC boss maintains that Makhachev still has much to achieve and may need to wait for Jones to retire to reach that esteemed status.

Nonetheless, Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, argues that White’s fervent advocacy for Jones is merely a marketing strategy.

Abdelaziz Says White Is Fostering Hype For Jones vs Miocic With P4P Narrative

During a recent interview with MMA reporter Kevin Iole, Abdelaziz discussed Makhachev’s potential timeline for a return. However, the dialogue swiftly pivoted to White’s unwavering support for “Bones” as the greatest P4P fighter of all time.

The Dominance MMA founder advocated for his client, asserting that Makhachev is the rightful kingpin of the rankings while also claiming that the UFC head honcho is merely leveraging debates about Jones to promote his return to the Octagon.

“He [Makhachev] is the pound-for-pound #1 fighter in the world,” Abdelaziz said. “Dana can say whatever he wants, but Dana is one of the greatest promoters. We know Jon Jones is fighting Stipe [Miocic] next month. I don’t know if people care about this fight, but this is why Dana is the best because he knows how to rile people up…like he’s been playing with you guys [media].”

“Bones” is set to defend his undisputed title against Miocic in the main event of UFC 309, scheduled for November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This matchup marks Jones’ return to the Octagon after an injury-plagued hiatus of approximately 18 months following his victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.

Continue Reading Prominent MMA Manager Feels Dana White Has Been ‘Playing’ Media With Jon Jones P4P Talk at MMA News.

Dana White’s Reaction To AI-Generated UFC Pound-For-Pound List After It Omits Jon Jones

Dana White was recently amused with an AI-generated list of UFC pound-for-pound (P4P) fighters, but he found the underlying concept quite intriguing. As the daily integration of AI technologies expands across nearly every field, leading to improved and more accurate results, their application in the sports world has become increasingly unavoidable. White has also previously […]

Continue Reading Dana White’s Reaction To AI-Generated UFC Pound-For-Pound List After It Omits Jon Jones at MMA News.

Dana White was recently amused with an AI-generated list of UFC pound-for-pound (P4P) fighters, but he found the underlying concept quite intriguing.

As the daily integration of AI technologies expands across nearly every field, leading to improved and more accurate results, their application in the sports world has become increasingly unavoidable.

White has also previously conveyed his enthusiasm for integrating AI models, such as ChatGPT, into the UFC’s ranking system. He envisions a future where these advanced algorithms take precedence over the current rankings panel, which consists of media representatives from various outlets.

During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, White’s vision gained momentum as he lambasted the rankings panel for failing to elevate Renato Moicano in the lightweight standings. This scrutiny came on the heels of “Money Moicano’s” commanding TKO victory via doctor’s stoppage against Benoît Saint Denis in the main event of UFC Fight Night Paris last weekend.

“The rankings are definitely a problem,” White said. “Moicano, I agree with you 100 percent. But don’t worry my friend; AI will be here soon, and this will all be fixed. We get all these bums that know nothing about fighting out of this sh*t and get AI in here, and we can fix all these rankings.”

White Shares Excitement About AI In UFC Rankings

At the post-fight press conference for the latest episode of Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night, the UFC head honcho was handed a ChatGPT-generated list ranking the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the organization by a reporter. The list featured Alexander Volkanovski leading the pack, followed closely by Islam Makhachev, Leon Edwards, Charles Oliveira, and Aljamain Sterling – completely omitting Jon Jones.

“I don’t know what AI you’re using, MMA Junkie AI?” White joked. “When we get a real AI platform in place… I can’t wait.”

White’s response to the AI-generated pound-for-pound rankings was not quite surprising, particularly given that the system omitted the reigning UFC undisputed heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. White has been quite outspoken in his belief that “Bones” holds the status of the greatest fighter of all time.

Continue Reading Dana White’s Reaction To AI-Generated UFC Pound-For-Pound List After It Omits Jon Jones at MMA News.

DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong

Daniel Cormier’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently stirred the debate around Jon Jones’ GOAT status by invoking a comparison to Lance Armstrong. In recent months, the conversation surrounding the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all time has intensified, with Jones’ name consistently leading the discussion. UFC CEO Dana White has been especially vocal, passionately championing the […]

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Daniel Cormier’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently stirred the debate around Jon Jones’ GOAT status by invoking a comparison to Lance Armstrong.

In recent months, the conversation surrounding the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all time has intensified, with Jones’ name consistently leading the discussion. UFC CEO Dana White has been especially vocal, passionately championing the reigning heavyweight kingpin’s place at the top of the all-time rankings.

Jones etched his name in the history books as the youngest champion in UFC history, seizing the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old with a commanding victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011. Since that momentous win, “Bones” has stepped into the octagon for 15 title fights, emerging victorious in every single one, save for the no-contest in his rematch against Cormier at UFC 214 in July 2017.

Jones’ resume is arguably unmatched in the sport, but his illustrious career has been marred by a series of high-profile scandals, most notably his positive test for the banned substance turinabol. This tainted legacy is precisely why Mendez believes that, despite his achievements, Jones is unworthy of the GOAT status…

Mendez Asserts Jones’ Doping Test ‘Disqualifies’ Him From GOAT Status

During a recent episode of the Javier Mendez Podcast, the renowned MMA coach weighed in on White’s persistent endorsement of Jones as the GOAT. Mendez drew a striking comparison between “Bones” and legendary cyclist Armstrong, who famously won the Tour de France a record seven times, only to have all his titles and accolades stripped away following his admission to using performance-enhancing drugs.

“Dana is still insisting that Jon Jones is pound-for-pound #1,” Mendez said. “He has his valid points, but my valid point is I just want to say one thing: Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France how many times, and basically, he got all those titles taken away from him because of one thing—doping. And even though it was many years later that they caught him, he lost all the Tour de France titles. Well, it’s been a fact, it’s been proven, Jon Jones has been caught doping. So, I’m sorry, I think that disqualifies him just based on that alone.”

“Bones” has been inactive since his move to the heavyweight division in March 2023, where he made a triumphant debut by securing a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 to clinch the vacant title.

Jones was initially set to make his first title defense against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023. However, just days before the fight, the heavyweight champ had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. Now, the highly anticipated clash between the two is rumored to headline UFC 309, scheduled for November.

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Henry Cejudo Doubles Down On ‘Poatan’ Criticism Despite Dominant UFC 303 Win: ‘Even If Pereira Does Get A Bit Butthurt…’

Henry Cejudo is still not sold on Alex Pereira’s prowess, even after the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion showcased an exceptional performance at UFC 303. “Poatan” retained his title, most recently securing an impressive second-round head kick knockout of his former foe, Jiri Prochazka, during the main event of the UFC’s last pay-per-view on June […]

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Henry Cejudo is still not sold on Alex Pereira’s prowess, even after the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion showcased an exceptional performance at UFC 303.

“Poatan” retained his title, most recently securing an impressive second-round head kick knockout of his former foe, Jiri Prochazka, during the main event of the UFC’s last pay-per-view on June 29.

Pereira, in just nine Octagon appearances, has established an unparalleled legacy. He has become only the ninth fighter in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions. Even more impressive, he is the first to capture titles in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, accomplishing this remarkable feat in just two years.

The 37-year-old Brazilian has made an indelible mark on the MMA community, with many considering him among the greatest fighters in UFC history. However, former two-division champion Cejudo remains skeptical of Pereira’s accomplishments…

Cejudo Argues Pereira Needs To Do More To Be Deemed The Best

During a recent episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman, the two former UFC champions explored Pereira’s meteoric rise in the MMA world. “Triple C” emphatically insisted that the Brazilian striking phenom still has more to prove against more well-rounded opponents before he can be crowned among the greatest.

“We have to see him go up against are a little more well-rounded, Cejudo said. “I don’t take things personal. I think, to me, it’s even more cool to create a character because whether you’re right or wrong, people are going to talk sh*t, or people are going to do X, Y, and Z, but these are keyboard wars. Even if Pereira does get a bit butthurt, man, take it to heart.”

“Does he have beautiful striking? 100%. I want to see more. I wanna see him to see him against guys against a real mixed martial artists, and then we can gauge it whether he is maybe even so pound-for-pound.”

This isn’t the first time Cejudo has voiced doubts about Pereira’s skills. In a previous episode of his podcast earlier this month, the former Olympic gold medalist criticized “Poatan” for his perceived lack of completeness as a fighter, arguing that he wouldn’t fare well against formidable wrestlers like Magomed Ankalaev.

Continue Reading Henry Cejudo Doubles Down On ‘Poatan’ Criticism Despite Dominant UFC 303 Win: ‘Even If Pereira Does Get A Bit Butthurt…’ at MMA News.

Jumping the Gun Alert: Dana White Says Renan Barao Will Become “Pound-for-Pound Best” With Win Over Faber


(White, seen here wearing the pound-for-pound best t-shirt from the pound-for-pound best Rocky film of all time. Pound-for-pound.)

I know, I know, we already agreed to stop letting this man do our thinking for us, but check this out.

During the Fight Night 35 post-fight media scrum, the topic of discussion quickly shifted from the event itself and to the recently booked bantamweight title fight between Renan Barao and Urijah Faber. Specifically, Dana White was asked what would be next for both fighters should Barao come out victorious (again). White’s response:

If Barao goes out and stops Faber, he’s probably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Well that was fast.

Barao, who is currently ranked #6 pound-for-pound on the UFC’s much-maligned rankings system, will catapult himself past the likes of Chris Weidman, Jon Jones, and Cain Velasquez should he defeat a guy he’s already beaten before. In what will officially be considered his first title win at 135 lbs. That’s the takeaway here.


(White, seen here wearing the pound-for-pound best t-shirt from the pound-for-pound best Rocky film of all time. Pound-for-pound.)

I know, I know, we already agreed to stop letting this man do our thinking for us, but check this out.

During the Fight Night 35 post-fight media scrum, the topic of discussion quickly shifted from the event itself and to the recently booked bantamweight title fight between Renan Barao and Urijah Faber. Specifically, Dana White was asked what would be next for both fighters should Barao come out victorious (again). White’s response:

If Barao goes out and stops Faber, he’s probably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Well that was fast.

Barao, who is currently ranked #6 pound-for-pound on the UFC’s much-maligned rankings system, will catapult himself past the likes of Chris Weidman, Jon Jones, and Cain Velasquez should he defeat a guy he’s already beaten before. In what will officially be considered his first title win at 135 lbs. That’s the takeaway here.

Look, I’m not going to get upset here, because it’s just one man’s opinion, and White has every right to say it. You could make the case for Barao as the top pound-for-pound fighter given his near ten-year unbeaten streak, I guess, but there’s also this guy named Jon Jones who has actually defended his belt some 6 times (see also: Silva, A. and St. Pierre, G.). Call me crazy, but me thinks this is a classic case of White attempting to oversell a fight that didn’t have that much hype surrounding it the first time around. Which again, swing away, Merrill.

Honestly, this is why pound-for-pound discussions are among the worst things about being an MMA fan. For starters, we all know that that title belongs to Fedor Emelianenko  (*dodges brick*), and secondly, the P4P ranking system is one based on hypotheticals, therefore making it little more than a useless marketing tool. Is Barao a better fighter than Weidman, or Jones for that matter? Who the hell knows. They’re never going to face off in the cage and settle it, that’s for sure, so discussing pound-for-pound rankings is ultimately as pointless as debating who would win a fight between Batman and Superman…

…what’s that now? God damn it.

–J. Jones