In the aftermath of UFC 303, UFC CEO Dana White made his opinion on MMA's pound-for-pound debate very clear.
UFC 303 News: Alex Pereira Outlasts Jiri Prochazka in Last-Minute Main Event
The boxing promoter, who has been around for more than 20 years, says there is only one right answer when debating who is the best, even if he hasn't fought in over a year.
“That's the issue of debate here and why people don't give Jon Jones pound-for-pound respect,” White says. Said During the post-fight press conference at Saturday night's UFC 303. “This son of a bitch just beat the best heavyweight in the division.” [He] “He made it look easy and nothing. Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world, pound for pound, and the best fighter of all time. That's it. End of story.”
White's rant was prompted by a question from longtime MMA journalist Kevin Iole, who asked White about his previous desire for a marquee superfight (such as Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva) and whether he felt the same way about a potential heavyweight title bout between Jones and Alex Pereira, who defended his light heavyweight title with a brutal two-round knockout win over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303.
White didn't rule out a Jones-Pereira bout, but added that he would like to see Pereira beat a few more light heavyweights before moving up to light heavyweight. The only problem, however, is that Pereira has beaten nearly every challenger he's faced except for Magomed Ankalaev.
While White didn't explicitly say “yes,” he effectively confirmed that Ankalaev, the UFC's longest-serving reigning fighter in the weight class, will be next in line to challenge for the light heavyweight title.
Ankalaev, who has won 10 of his 13 UFC fights, was quick to criticize Pereira on “X” (formerly Twitter), predicting a knockout over the Brazilian and helping to build hype for the highly anticipated bout.
Trust me guys, I'm gonna knock you out @Alex PereiraUFC There's no need to put him down. This guy's jaw is gone, but I know he's very dangerous.
— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) June 30, 2024
As of this writing, the 205-pound division is beginning to regain some of its former stability, and Pereira is eager to take on whoever is next.
UFC 303: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka 2 live results and highlights
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