Usman Nurmagomedov is Bellator’s lightweight champion. However, he shared his opinion on the ongoing debate in the UFC regarding the best pound-for-pound contender. Although the Dagestani was all for Islam Makhachev as the pound-for-pound No. 1 in MMA, he did have some things to say about Jon Jones.
Usman Nurmagomedov recently did an exclusive interview with MMA Fighting. Ahead of his upcoming showdown at Bellator San Diego. The reporter asked Nurmagomedov where he would put himself among the MMA lightweights on the planet. He placed himself second because he believes Islam Makhachev is truly #1 despite the seemingly never-ending debate between Makhachev and Jon Jones.
Nobody is saying he’s not a legend. Jon Jones is a legend. I grew up watching his fights. I love his style. I love his mentality. This guy is tough. But of course you’re talking about this time, you’re not talking about the past.
Usman Nurmagomedov on MMA Fighting
Usman emphasized that Makhachev’s recent streak makes him deserving of the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. The Dagestani has won 14 consecutive wins and three title defenses in the UFC. However, that is a view UFC CEO Dana White clearly does not share.
Dana White has publicly supported Jones as the best fighter, every chance he gets. However, for Usman, the debate is not about legacy but about present dominance. In that field, he sees teammate Makhachev as the king of the moment.
The reason for White’s undying support for Jones’ pound-for-pound status is based on the champion’s invincibility in the octagon. White has also time and again reiterated that if Jones was to walk into a room with any guy on the planet for all-out combat, he would come out on top every time. Unfortunately, this is still not enough to convince everyone as they base their opinion on the fighters’ recent form.
Usman Nurmagomedov declares Khabib Nurmagomedov as the ‘greatest person in MMA’
Usman Nurmagomedov is set to defend his lightweight title against Alexander Shabliy. Nurmagomedov is undefeated with a 17-0 record. But he faces Shabliy, who holds a 23-3 record and has not lost in eight years.
However, the Dagestani is not worried. He believes his opponent cannot match up to what Islam Makhachev puts him through in the gym. If that is not enough, Usman has undefeated former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov on his side.
I would say that Khabib is the greatest person in MMA in general… Combining all of his experience together as a coach, as a fighter, working with his father, and just the amount of experience that he gathered is just tremendous. Nobody has it in the MMA world in general.
Usman Nurmagomedov continued
The Bellator champion clearly values having Khabib in his corner. He declared that the UFC legend was a “very valuable and most important member” of their team. Khabib has not cornered the Bellator champion since 2022. But he will be there this September at the Bellator Champions Series in San Diego.
!
