Demetrious Johnson did not hold back on his praise when analyzing the current scenario of the sport. In an interview with 'MMA Junkie', the former fighter stated that Islam makhachev, current lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg), deserves the number 1 spot in the pound-for-pound ranking, which evaluates skills regardless of weight.
"Right now, Islam makhachev He is the best fighter in the world. He knows how to knock out, fight on the ground, has judo, jiu-jitsu. He faced adversity and overcame it all. Jon Jones comes right behind, for his versatility and long career,” declared Johnson.
See too
In addition to highlighting his resume, Johnson speculated about a possible jump in weight class. For him, Makhachev would be able to compete in the middleweight division (83,9 kg), as long as he adjusted strategies to compensate for the size of his opponents.
“I trained with him and saw how big he is. I believe he would do well, but he would need to deal with the physical difference. Someone so complete, who wins by knockout and submission, would have no problems,” analyzed the former rival of Henry Cejudo.
Islam makhachev already had a fight in 2025. In front of Renato Moicano, the Russian applied a triangle choke in the first round and forced his opponent to submit. The result marked the athlete's fourth title defense, breaking the record previously shared with Khabib Nurmagomedov, his mentor and former fighter. With a record of 27 wins and only one loss, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov's disciple has remained undefeated since 2016.
You need login To comment.