Shaquille O’Neal Weighs In on Jon Jones vs. Islam Makhachev Pound-for-Pound Controversy After Dana White’s Take

Who’s the UFC’s top dog? Dana White’s bold claim sparked a heated debate. He declared Jon Jones as the top pound-for-pound fighter. This comes despite Islam Makhachev’s dominant win over Dustin Poirier. Jon Jones, undefeated, has ruled both light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

His resume includes wins over legends like Daniel Cormier and Lyoto Machida. Islam Makhachev, on a 14-fight win streak, is equally impressive. Fans thought his latest victory would secure the top spot. But Shaquille O’Neal just sided with White.

Shaq dives into the octagon

Dana White praised Islam Makhachev for his incredible skills and impressive winning streak. However, he stood firm in his belief that Jon Jones being the best pound-for-pound player.

White said, “I think he’s one of the greatest of all time. I think he’s incredible. I don’t think he’s the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. For anyone to call Islam the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world when Jon Jones is still f**king fighting is nuts and shouldn’t be ranking in the pound-for-pound, or doing any of the f**king rankings ever if that’s what you really think.”

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White emphasized Jones’ flawless record and dominance across weight classes. He added, “Jon Jones has never lost a fight, ever. He’s fought all the baddest dudes in the world, and then when you think about what pound-for-pound rankings really mean — he moved up to heavyweight and destroyed the best guy in the world. As long as Jon Jones is still fighting, active, and in the rankings, nobody [else] is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world.”

Shaquille O’Neal supported White’s claim, sharing the sentiment on his Instagram story. By resharing a post from MMA Fighting, Shaq showed he believes Jones is still the top pound-for-pound fighter. This endorsement from a sports legend like Shaq adds significant weight to the discussion.

Jon Jones responded positively to White’s comments. He expressed his gratitude on Twitter, writing, “It felt awesome to get that level of recognition from the boss, the man that’s literally been here since UFC 1. I know the haters are not gonna like his comments, but Dana’s a pretty hard person to argue with. Dana White has had a front-row seat to my entire career; facts are facts.”

Islam has also responded to Dana White for his comments. What do you think? Does Jon Jones deserve the top spot, or has Islam Makhachev earned his place as the pound-for-pound best?

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