Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) walks out for a ightweight title fight against Renato Moicano (not pictured) during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

mma

“We’ll Be Fighting For The #1 Spot” – Islam Makhachev Takes Aim At The UFC For His Demotion From Being The Pound For Pound King!

Islam Makhachev believes merit had nothing to do with his demotion from the UFC pound for pound number 1 spot!

Since October 2023, Islam Makhachev has reigned as the No.1 pound for pound fighter. The Dagestani destroyer had earned his spot through dominant performances and that signature grappling game that made grown men tap fast.

But rankings in combat sports are fickle beasts. One knockout can change everything. One spectacular performance can flip the script entirely. That’s exactly what happened when Ilia Topuria stepped into the octagon at UFC 317 against Charles Oliveira. The Georgian-Spanish fighter didn’t just win, he demolished a legend and claimed the lightweight crown. The victory earned him the number one spot in the pound for pound rankings, bumping Makhachev down to second place. Now. the former king of the P4P rankings gave his opinion on the matter.

Islam Makhachev Calls Out The UFC’s Marketing Machine

Islam Makhachev isn’t buying the ranking shuffle as pure merit. The former pound for pound king sees dollar signs and promotional tactics behind his demotion. Speaking at the recent UFC Abu Dhabi event, Makhachev didn’t mince words about what he thinks is really happening.

“Well, it’s marketing. They’re doing it on purpose to promote this fight… So they do it right, and we’ll be fighting for the #1 spot in the rankings.”

Islam Makhachev reacts to Ilia Topuria taking his spot as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world

"Well, it's marketing. They're doing it on purpose to promote this fight… So they do it right, and we'll be fighting for the #1 spot in the rankings." 👀

🎥 @ufc pic.twitter.com/RVjUPxBMi2
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 27, 2025

The Dagestani fighter isn’t throwing a tantrum about losing his spot. Makhachev understands that controversy sells fights and rankings debates get people talking. What makes this even more interesting is the timing. Both fighters moved to different weight classes. Makhachev has his eyes set on welterweight gold, facing Jack Della Maddalena for two division championship status. Meanwhile, Topuria has been making noise about his own plans. This creates a perfect storm for the UFC’s marketing department. Two pound for pound elites potentially never fighting each other while fans debate who’s truly better.

This whole situation perfectly captures modern MMA’s complexity. Rankings matter, but they are also promotional tools. Merit counts, but so does marketability. Makhachev’s reaction shows he understands both sides of the equation. Rather than crying about unfairness, he’s using the controversy as fuel for his next chapter. Whether that leads him back to lightweight for a Topuria showdown or forward to welterweight glory against Della Maddalena remains to be seen. Either way, the pound for pound debate just got a lot more interesting!

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!