UFC fans saw an incredible main event at UFC 284 this past weekend in Perth, Australia for the UFC Lightweight Title. Islam Makhachev beat Alexander Volkanovski by a razon thin margin to retain his title. In the aftermath of the fight, fans have been discussing whether Volkanovski should remain at number one in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. That is indeed the case.
Volkanovski Still No. 1 IN UFC P4P Rankings Despite Makhachev Loss
Despite losing a close decision to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 this past weekend, Alexander Volkanovski remains at number one in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings.
Makhachev vs Volkanovski went down in Perth, Australia and will surely go down as a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender for 2023 already. The pair battled it out for 25 minutes, with the UFC Lightweight Champion retaining his title after a close decision victory.
However, in the aftermath of the fight, MMA fans from all around the world were keen to discuss whether the result of the fight changed the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. Prior to the bout, Volkanovski was ranked at no.1, with Makhachev ranked at no. 2 in the UFC p4p rankings.
A lot of UFC fans believe that Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé has shown enough in two UFC title fights already to prove he is the best fighter on the planet. However, some other fans were quick to point out that ‘Volk’ has reigned supreme at 145-pounds for so long and was only stepping up to 155-pounds to date to be great.
Well, the UFC came out today and revealed their updated pound-for-pound rankings. Alexander Volkanovski remains at number one ladies and gentlemen!
VOLK REMAINS POUND-FOR-POUND KING! 👑#UFC284 pic.twitter.com/j063PVcBYk
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) February 15, 2023
Despite being a big underdog with the best offshore betting sites, the Aussie more than proved he deserves to stay at no. 1 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. He was stepping up to a division which he has never fought in to challenge himself against a far bigger man. That has to be commended. Indeed, the UFC have recognised this and have kept the long-reigning UFC Featherweight Champion at number one in the p4p list.
The fight was super close, with fans already calling for a rematch in the not so distant future. Regardless of the result of the fight, it cannot be denied that Volkanovski stepped up to the plate, dared to be great and fell agonisingly short. However, he shouldn’t be punished in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings for attempting to define his legacy.
The Australian will likely now move back down to his natural 145-pound division and fight the interim champion, Yair Rodriguez next. Having been the dominant featherweight champion since December 2019, ‘The Great’ will undoubtedly go into that fight as a heavy favorite with best online sportsbooks.
The fact he stepped up to the division above and challenged himself, shouldn’t deter from the fact that ‘Volk’ has dominated for so long at 145-pounds. Hence why it was the right call from the UFC to keep his as their pound-for-pound number one.
Your official UFC pound-for-pound list 👑🔝
MMA fans… thoughts? 🤔👇 pic.twitter.com/1K3L3IILdi
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) February 15, 2023
That isn’t do say that Islam Makhachev deserves a huge amount of credit for biting down on his gumshield and doing enough in Volkanovski’s back yard. His time will undoubtedly come when he makes it to the summit of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. However, for now, Alexander Volkanovski remains the man at the top of the tree in the UFC.
Hopefully we see the rematch down the line at some stage, that is for sure. What a fight it was at UFC 284 and what a pair of true champions both Makhachev and Volkanovski proved to be.
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