Mar 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Magomed Ankalaev (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Alex Pereira (not pictured) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Henry Cejudo, Kamaru Usman Have Different Views On The Pound For Pound Rankings Post UFC 313

Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo allot Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev's pound for pound rankings based on their take!

The UFC pound-for-pound rankings have always caused heated debates among fighters, coaches, and fans. These mythical rankings try to answer an impossible question: who’s the best fighter regardless of weight class? Back in the day, fans had fierce arguments about whether Anderson Silva was better than Georges St-Pierre, or if Demetrious Johnson deserved the top spot over Jon Jones. Now, two former champions have jumped into the debate with their own strong opinions about the latest shake-up in the rankings.

Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman, both UFC legends in their own right, can’t seem to agree on where the newly crowned light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev and former champ Alex Pereira should stand in the pound-for-pound hierarchy. This disagreement comes fresh off the heels of the recent ranking update.

These new rankings have placed Ankalaev at an impressive sixth position despite not even being on the list before his victory at UFC 313. Meanwhile, Alex Pereira took a significant tumble, dropping from second to eighth after losing his light heavyweight crown.

Also Read: Alex Pereira Breaks Silence After Upset Title Loss To Magomed Ankalaev

Henry Cejudo’s Take

‘Triple C,’ as Cejudo likes to call himself, believes Ankalaev’s sixth-place ranking is still too low. For someone who just defeated one of the most feared strikers in UFC history, a top 5 ranking is a must.

“Pound for pound is what you do right now. I’m gonna have to put Ankalaev in the top 5 dude. I will bump Pereira to number 6.”

Cejudo knows something about pound-for-pound greatness, having held belts in two divisions simultaneously back in his fighting days. His perspective comes from someone who climbed those rankings himself through calculated risk-taking and dominant performances.

Kamaru Usman’s Take

Usman, on the other hand, thinks the rankings are overcorrected after just one fight. He believes that Pereira shouldn’t drop five spots from one close decision loss. His take comes from the work that Pereira has done during his career.

“I can put him [Magomed Ankalaev] in the Top 10 now. Pereira still ahead of him. We are talking about body of work. As for right now, what Pereira has done to his division and the fights that he has been fighting. Yes, he is still in the Top 10.”

Usman’s take reflects his own experience. He remained high in the P4P rankings during his long welterweight reign but dropped considerably after losing to Leon Edwards. This seems like too much drop for the former welterweight king.

The Current Top P4P Fighters

Looking at the current rankings, it’s hard not to notice some interesting trends. Islam Makhachev sits comfortably at the top spot, having defended his lightweight title multiple times against elite competition. Jon Jones holds the second position despite sparsely fighting. The biggest mover is Ilia Topuria, who jumped to third after dethroning Alexander Volkanovski and knocking out Max Holloway in spectacular fashion the previous year.

Both Cejudo and Usman raise valid points in their arguments. Should one victory, even against a killer like Pereira, vault you into the elite tier of the P4P list? Or should fans value consistency and title defenses more heavily? The beauty of these debates is that there’s no right answer. The rankings will continue to shift with each pay-per-view, giving us fight fans endless material for their own heated discussions!

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Alex Pereira

Henry Cejudo

Kamaru Usman

Magomed Ankalaev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!