Sean O’Malley Ranks Ilia Topuria Equal to Islam Makhachev in P4P Standings

Sean O’Malley, who is set to headline UFC 316, suggests that the pinnacle of the pound-for-pound rankings is not exclusively held by one fighter.

Few topics consistently generate as much debate within mixed martial arts and the UFC as the discussion surrounding the pound-for-pound best fighter.

In recent years, this conversation has largely centered on the claims of Islam Makhachev and Jon Jones. Despite Makhachev`s lengthy and dominant reign as lightweight champion, UFC President Dana White initially favored Jones.

However, White altered his stance in January following UFC 311, naming Makhachev as the P4P king after his victory over Renato Moicano.

With `Bones` having defended his heavyweight title only once in over two years and currently contemplating retirement, Makhachev`s position as the P4P number one seemed relatively secure.

However, O’Malley offers a different perspective.

Sean O’Malley Places Ilia Topuria Alongside Islam Makhachev in UFC’s P4P Discussion

O’Malley recently appeared on MightyCast, the podcast hosted by UFC and ONE Championship veteran Demetrious Johnson.

During their discussion, which included a preview of O’Malley’s upcoming rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, they also touched upon various other significant topics in the MMA landscape.

One such topic was Makhachev`s anticipated move to welterweight, which has fueled accusations that the Dagestani fighter actively avoided a championship clash against the undefeated Ilia Topuria at lightweight.

O’Malley himself has been linked to Topuria in the past, and `Sugar` clearly holds the Spanish fighter in high regard, viewing him as being on par with Makhachev in the P4P race.

“I was just picturing Ilia going up to fight Islam,” O’Malley stated. “That was kind of the fight I wanted to see. That was a big fight feel for me. That was huge.”

“Both those guys are number one and one, both tied I think for pound-for-pound best in the world.”

Ilia Topuria Ranks Below Islam Makhachev in the Official UFC P4P Rankings

Before potentially achieving his goal of becoming the undisputed P4P king, the former featherweight champion Topuria must first surpass Jon Jones to claim the second position.

‘El Matador’ secured a spot within the top three thanks to his impressive two-fight run in 2024. This streak saw him knock out Alexander Volkanovski to become the UFC featherweight champion and then finish Max Holloway in his initial title defense.

Despite these dominant performances, he controversially remains below Jones, whose single heavyweight title defense since defeating Ciryl Gane in 2023 was against the now-retired Stipe Miocic in November 2024.

Topuria has an opportunity to boost his chances of climbing higher on the P4P list at UFC 317 on June 28. He is scheduled to headline International Fight Week, competing for the vacant lightweight title against Charles Oliveira.

Meanwhile, Makhachev is anticipated to have his chance to solidify his claim on the top spot when he challenges for Jack Della Maddalena’s welterweight title later this year.