Islam Makhachev gets P4P endorsement from Alexander Volkanovski amidst Jon Jones debate: “There has to be activity there…”

Former UFC featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski feels his two-time foe, Islam Makhachev, deserves the pound-for-pound nod over Jon Jones.

Makhachev defeated Dustin Poirier by fifth-round submission to retain the UFC lightweight belt at UFC 302. He remains the UFC’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter as of this writing, with Jones in the No. 2 spot.

Volkanovski has spent plenty of time training for, studying, and fighting Makhachev over the last year. The two fought twice in 2023, with Makhachev earning wins in both clashes.

Despite the win over Poirier, UFC president Dana White didn’t put Makhachev at the top of his pound-for-pound list after UFC 302. He praised Jones’s all-time greatness as something that should be considered in the pound-for-pound debate.

Volkanovski feels Jones’s inactivity since his UFC 285 return puts him a step behind Makhachev.

Alexander Volkanovski explains why Islam Makhachev deserves P4P nod

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Volkanovski explained his stance on the pound-for-pound discussion and Makhachev’s case.

“You look at Jon Jones, alright, we get it, you’re going to say he’s the greatest fighter of all time. But pound-for-pound…I think there has to be some activity there,” Volkanovski said of Makhachev vs. Jones. “Who you’ve fought lately? Islam [Makhachev]’s fought some great fighters and he’s won, so you’ve got to give him a lot of credit for that. I think he’s pound-for-pound [No. 1].”

Makhachev earned the then-vacant UFC lightweight title by defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He defended the belt twice against Volkanovski last year, before the win over Poirier last weekend.

Jones hasn’t fought since a win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. He was supposed to face Stipe Miocic for his first heavyweight title defense at UFC 295 before withdrawing due to injury.

Makhachev and Jones stand alone at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings, but Volkanovski feels his former rival deserves the prestigious honor based on his insistence to remain active. Jones could potentially overtake him once his UFC return plays out later in 2024.