Dana White Changes Course, Views Makhachev as No. 1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter

Dana White is finally ready to give Islam Makhachev his flowers.

After Makhachev retained his lightweight title with a first-round submission of Renato Carneiro in the UFC 311 main event on Saturday night, White conceded that the Dagestani is the top pound-for-pound talent in the sport. That’s a significant change in course for White, who for months has expressed his displeasure that Makhachev was ranked ahead of heavyweight champion Jon Jones in the promotion’s pound-for-pound poll.

“He’s already the pound-for-pound No. 1 ranking. Yeah, I’ll give it to him,” White said at the UFC 311 post-fight press conference. “Is everybody happy now that he’s pound-for-pound?

The UFC CEO came away impressed with Makhachev’s willingness to adapt when original foe Arman Tsarukyan pulled out of the main event just one day before their fight. The reigning lightweight champ didn’t blink when “Moicano” was proposed as a replacement foe on short notice.

“Islam was willing to fight anybody,” White said. “He’s stayed active and he went out tonight and performed the way a guy should on a short-notice fight when you are the best in the world and you are the champion.”

While Makhachev is deservedly getting credit for a winning streak that now sits at 15, White’s sudden change in stance could be linked to negotiations with Jones for a potential heavyweight title unification bout against Tom Aspinall. After finishing Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 this past November, Jones hinted that he might be convinced to return against Aspinall for a hefty payday. Thus far, there has been no update on the status of that bout, though White previously all but guaranteed the fight would happen. Additionally, Alex Pereira, the opponent that intrigued Jones the most, has now been booked to face Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March.

Regardless of how the Jones-Aspinall talks proceed, White seemed confident when giving his perspective on Makhachev’s standing in the sport.

“One hundred percent, there’s no doubt about it,” White said. “He’s the pound-for-pound best in the world right now and he’s definitely the best to ever do it in that division.”