Fighter vs. Writer: Matt Brown Reacts to UFC 311, Islam Makhachev’s win and Merab Dvalishvili Proving Everybody Wrong

Jon Jones is actually retired. And despite his nearly unmatched in-cage accomplishments, the question remains: Is he truly the greatest fighter to ever compete in MMA? On a special edition of the MMA Fighting Rankings Show, Alexander K. Lee, Damon Martin, Jed Meshew, and E. Casey Leydon revisit the often-discussed topic of Jones’ legacy in regards to how it compares to others in the GOAT conversation. Did the two-division UFC champion do enough to surpass the achievements of Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jose Aldo, Fedor Emelianenko, and others? Pound for pound, is Jones the most skilled fighter ever? All four of our panelists put a number next to Jones’ name and make their case as to why he is or isn’t the undisputed GOAT. Plus, in the wake of Ilia Topuria’s game-changing knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317, we suddenly find ourselves with three champions receiving votes for the No. 1 spot in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings: Topuria, Islam Makhachev, and Alexandre Pantoja. Our panelists explain why their choice deserves to be considered the best overall fighter on the planet. Follow Alexander K. Lee ⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠ Follow Damon Martin @DamonMartin Follow Jed Meshew @JedKMeshew Follow E. Casey Leydon ⁠⁠@ekc⁠⁠ Subscribe: ⁠⁠http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At UFC 317, Ilia Topuria destroyed Charles Oliveira to capture the UFC lightweight championship, and did so with ease. After picking up his second UFC divisional title, does Topuria now surpass Islam Makhahev as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today? On an all new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses the fallout of Topuria's incredible accomplishment and performance, if he leapfrogs Makhachev, and if a matchup with Paddy Pimblett is the fight the UFC ends up making. Additionally, questions may include Alexandre Pantoja's sensational title defense against Kai Kara-France, other standout moments from UFC 317, along with topics relating to some of the lingering stories in the world of mixed martial arts. Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew for a special Q&A edition of the program. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss Ilia Topuria’s incredible knockout win at UFC 317, where this victory puts him in the pound-for-pound rankings, and his potential matchups against Arman Tsarukyan and Paddy Pimblett plus much more Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ilia Topuria is the new UFC lightweight champion after viciously knocking out Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317 on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Topuria faced off with rival Paddy Pimblett following the victory, and while it may not be the meritocratic way to go about things, is this the fight to make for Topuria's first title defense? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what's next for Topuria after winning his second divisional UFC world title, along with who Oliveira could face in his next outing. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara-France following Pantoja's submission win, Joshua Van after his win over Brandon Royval in a Fight of the Year contender, along with fellow main card winners Beneil Dariush, Payton Talbott, and more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ilia Topuria made it look easy against Charles Oliveira, just like he promised for weeks after the UFC 317 main event was announced for the vacant lightweight title. After becoming a two-division UFC world champion, is Topuria now the best fighter on the planet? Following an incredible pay-per-view fight card on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to the event, Topuria's spectacular knockout of Oliveira, his faceoff with Paddy Pimblett, and discuss if that's the correct fight to make fight for Topuria's first title defense. Additionally, they discuss Alexandre Pantoja's masterclass against Kai Kara-France to retain the flyweight title, facing off with Joshua Van — who defeated Brandon Royval in a Fight of the Year contender earlier on — other standout moments, answer fan questions, and more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices