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What's the story?
Analyzing the various aspects of pound-for-pound MMA rankings can be downright ridiculous at times. Let's just reserve that discussion for another day. Today, we'll focus on Jon Jones' big issue with the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings.
Jon Jones comes in at #2 while Daniel Cormier - his arch-nemesis and the man who he has beaten twice before - takes the #1 spot above 14 other world-class fighters.
'Bones' took to his Instagram handle and was highly critical of UFC's ranking system. Jones sensed politics at play and called for whoever was in charge of the P4P rankings to be slapped.
In case you didn't know...
The Jones vs. Cormier feud will go down as one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history. The bad blood between the two was never faked for digital consumption and has always been legitimate. The build-ups for both their fights were never short on controversy as well.
However, when it came down to delivering the goods once the cage door was closed, Jones had the last laugh on both occasions.
The first win was a comprehensive unanimous decision (UFC 182) while the second was a TKO victory (UFC 214). Jones was stripped of the title after the first win for a hit-and-run incident and Cormier replaced him in a fight for the vacant Light Heavyweight title against Anthony Johnson.
Cormier lost the title in his first defence against Jones, a result which would later be overturned into a win for Cormier after Jones tested positive for Turinabol.
Cormier went on to become a dual weight class champion after he beat Stipe Miocic before relinquishing the Light Heavyweight title. Jones returned to the fore and won the vacant title and has successfully defended it twice since.
The heart of the matter
Jones posted a video that counted down the top 15 pound-for-pound fighters in the world along with the following caption:
Double tap if the ending of this video confused the hell out of you. I mean the first time I fought DC I beat him unanimously. This ranking system can’t be based off straight-up skills, wins and resume. Politics I guess. Whoever is ahead of the @UFC rating system needs to slap themselves for this lol
Jones can partly blame himself as he would have undoubtedly been at the top if he had stayed out of trouble.
What's next?
UFC. Give us Cormier vs. Jones III. Heavyweight? Light Heavyweight? It doesn't matter! The fight needs to happen to put to rest all arguments, once and for all.
But do Cormier and Jones want the trilogy to be complete? While Dana White wants a third chapter, DC has different plans.
