Certainly one of the GOATs of MMA, Demetrious Johnson, believes pound-for-pound rankings boil right down to the overall skillset a specific fighter possesses.
Pound-for-pound debates can quickly get convoluted because everyone has barely different criteria to shake out the hypothetical rankings. Johnson considers activity, championship status, and recency, but nothing tops being a well-rounded fighter.
“MMA is the simplest sport on this planet to turn out to be a world champion,” Johnson told MMA Junkie Radio. “Like, you possibly can suck, you possibly can not have a – you possibly can have such holes in your game and turn out to be a world champion.”
Johnson knows a thing or two about being a well-rounded fighter. Throughout his legendary championship run within the UFC, he defended his title by various submissions, knockouts and decisions. Simply put, “Mighty Mouse” was an issue for his opponents anywhere the fight would go. Johnson humbly acknowledges the overall skillset he presented within the cage, and sees numerous that in UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev.
“Immediately, Islam Makhachev is the pound-for-pound best fighter on this planet at once,” Johnson said. “He can strike, he can grapple, he has judo, he has jiu-jitsu. He’s battled adversity. He’s the pound-for-pound best fighter on this planet. Jon Jones is correct after that, because he can do all of it. He’s battled adversity, he’s grappled people. He’s been in the sport for a really, very very long time.”
For some, capturing a title in a second weight class is tipping point for his or her pound-for-pound arguments. Makhachev has 4 title defenses at lightweight, but hasn’t had the chance to fight for a second title. If the landscape changes at 170 kilos he could, because he won’t fight the present champ Belal Muhammad.
Johnson recently hung out with Makhachev and his camp on the mats, and believes his skills will translate to the highest of the division, should he ever make a change in the longer term.
“Once I trained with him and seen how big he was at the moment, he’s forcing his – I believe he’ll be superb at 170,” Johnson said. “I really imagine so. The one thing he’s going to need to make up a difference for is just the scale and the load. For somebody who’s well-rounded and has so many wins in numerous areas knocking people out and submitting them and all that stuff, I believe he’ll be superb.”
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