UFC president Dana White recently found himself at the center of controversy, particularly over his views on the current pound-for-pound rankings. With John Jones going third and Islam Makhachev first, White is clearly not happy. In an interview, he made it clear that in his opinion, as long as Jon Jones remains active, no other fighter can be considered a great fighter. “As long as Jon Jones is still fighting, active and in the rankings, [he’s] the [other] best pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” White said.
Sean O’Malley Disagrees with White’s Position
Dana White’s comments sparked controversy, with some fans accusing him of being biased against Jones. Adding fuel to the fire, current UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has publicly contradicted White’s views. As she prepares for her upcoming title defense against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, O’Malley shared her thoughts in a recent interview.
When asked who he thinks is the greatest fighter active right now, O’Malley didn’t hesitate. “A great fighter now? Maybe Muslims. Yes, maybe Muslims,” he replied, referring to Islam Makhachev. He then commented on Jon Jones’ recent inaction, “I mean Jon Jones is up there. It’s just, you know, picture now, you go back four or five years, and Jon’s fought once in the last 4-5 years.”
Jones’ Limited Roles Raise Questions
Sean O’Malley raises a valid point. While Jon Jones has an impressive record, his appearances inside the Octagon have been sporadic in recent years. Following his victory over Dominic Reyes in 2020, Jones returned from a three-year hiatus to challenge Cyril Gain for the heavyweight title at UFC 285. Although Jones won, his planned fight with Stipe Miocic in because of a shoulder injury.
Now, rumors are swirling that Jones could return to face Stipp Miocic at Madison Square Garden in November. However, this prospect is creating some pressure, especially for interim reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who believes he deserves a shot at Jones. Sean O’Malley also weighed in on this situation.
O’Malley Supports the Match between Jones and Miocic
The proposed Jon Jones-Stipe Miocic fight has been in the works for a while, and Sean O’Malley thinks this matchup makes the most sense. Reflecting on the situation in his podcast with trainer Tim Welch, O’Malley addressed the consequences of the fight’s initial cancellation and why Miocic should still have his chance
After the Jones-Miocic fight was postponed last year, Dana White ran in to save the event by setting up an interim title fight between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovic.Aspinall won the fight and he has been very vocal about wanting to fight Jones. His call for a title unification has gained widespread support in the MMA community. But so far, Dana White has ignored these requests, which has fueled the controversy.
Meanwhile, O’Malley sees the Jones vs. Miocic fight as the next logical step. “I think Jon Jones and Stipe have been around for so long. It’s like, what are you going to tell Stipe? ‘Hey, we’re doing this like it never happened,’ O’Malley commented. He believes Miocic, as an original contender, deserves his shot at Jones, and this fight could be a fitting chapter in UFC history.
