Morning Report: Daniel Cormier says Islam Makhachev 'can't be denied' as No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter

24/10/2023 13:00

Islam Makhachev silenced any doubt from his first encounter with Alexander Volkanovski.

The pair of pound-for-pound champions met at UFC 284 this past February, battling over the label of best on the planet. That's how the fight was billed, anyway. In the end, it didn't matter when Volkanovski remained in the No. 1 slot of the UFC's official rankings despite suffering a unanimous decision defeat.

Whether or not it was believed that the right man won or not, Makhachev was dealt his stiffest test yet. Rematching at UFC 294 this past Saturday on 11 days' notice, "The Great" was anything but that for the reigning lightweight king. Makhachev needed just over three minutes to knock out Volkanovski with a head kick followed by punches in their sequel. Once again, the victory didn't put him at No. 1 on the list with heavyweight titlist Jon Jones occupying the spot. Jones' old rival and former teammate of Makhachev's, Daniel Cormier, however, sat front row on call for the moment and thinks the fact it was against who it was says everything.

"Nobody anticipated this result," Cormier said on his YouTube channel. "But Islam went and did it. We talk about pound-for-pound, we talk about being the best, and I think tonight Islam Makhachev showed that he is the best because I feel like he beat the best. I say that because of the respect that I and so many others have for Alexander Volkanovski.

"Alexander Volkanovski is a savage and the way Islam beat him tells you that he is the best in the world."

Jones has only fought once in his new division of heavyweight thus far, capturing the title by submitting Ciryl Gane with a guillotine choke in just over two minutes at UFC 285 in March. "Bones" will make his first title defense at UFC 295 against Stipe Miocic in Madison Square Garden next month. The former two-time light heavyweight champion Jones is considered by most as arguably the best to ever, but with two wins over an all-time great champion like Volkanovski, Makhachev's legacy is rapidly growing as well.

The two Volkanovski wins were Makhachev's first as the lightweight title holder and one more would tie the divisional record with his mentor, the former undefeated 29-0 champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar, BJ Penn, and Benson Henderson. "The Eagle" is still the common choice for the label of the best ever at 155 pounds but at present, Makhachev is making a serious case towards long-lasting greatness, believes Cormier.

"He's the best, and now people will start to wonder if he will be a better world champion than Khabib," Cormier said. "If he's gonna be the greatest lightweight of all time. I don't know. It's gonna take a little more but I think you have to take Khabib's whole career into effect when that happens.

"There's work to be done for Makhachev to be considered the greatest of all time but what can't be denied is that he is now the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and why? Because of the person that he just beat in the fashion that he just beat. It's unreal."

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VIDEO STEW

The MMA Hour.

UFC 295 trailer.

UFC: Ultimate 30.

Bellator's top 10 KOs... per AI...?

Road to the Million: Light Heavyweight.

Powerhouse Playback: Tweet vs. Walker.

Final Anatomy of UFC 294.

Road to Fury-Ngannou.

MORNING MUSIC

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Kamaru.

On this day.

More controversy.

The GOAT backup.

Deserted.

Huh?

Cupdate.

Back in the ring.

Suggestion.

Been letting the locks grow.

Nature.

Respect.

Whatcha readin'?

Swordsman.

Slap 'em.

History time.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I strongly understand both sides of the debate right now so I'm not sure which I lean towards. I will say I do think two wins over Volkanovski are better than wins over Gane and Miocic, assuming Jones gets the latter.

Thanks for reading!

EXIT POLL

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