Conor McGregor blasts UFC P4P rankings amid Islam Makhachev rise to #1: ‘He was caught on steroids’
Former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion, Conor McGregor has hit out at the UFC and incumbent 155 pound champion, Islam Makhachev, questioning how the Russian has topped the pound-for-pound rankings this week, pointing to a prior failed drug test for the banned substance, meldonium following a 2015 knockout loss to Brazilian veteran, Adriano Martins.
McGregor, a former two-weight champion under the banner of the Dana White-led promotional banner, has been sidelined from the Octagon since he headlined UFC 264 back in 2021, suffering a fractured left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to former interim champion, Dustin Poirier.
As for Makhachev, the American Kickboxing Academy staple headlined UFC 294 back in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE, landing a spectacular first round high-kick knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski in the pair’s short-notice championship fight rematch in the Middle East.
And despite initial complaints, Makhachev has topped the official pound-for-pound rankings this week following the withdrawal of incumbent heavyweight champion, Jon Jones from UFC 295 this weekend in Madison Square Garden.
Conor McGregor hits out at Islam Makhachev once more
Reacting to news of Makhachev’s rise to the top of the pound-for-pound list, McGregor has pointed at a prior banned substance discretion from the Russian following his 192 loss to Martins, after he tested positive for meldonium, mocking the sport of mixed martial arts to boot.
“KO’d unconscious and caught on steroids,” Conor McGregor posted on his official X account, accompanied by a picture of Islam Makhachev after his knockout loss to Adriano Martins. “MMA’s current P4P No. 1. What a sport.”
Following his flagging by anti-doping agency, USADA, Makhachev was eventually judged to have ingested the banned substance “without fault or negligence” – and furthermore, avoided a retroactive suspension from active competition.
Continually linked with a future fight with McGregor, Makhachev’s head coach, Javier Mendez claimed that he would welcome a future fight with the ex-two-weight champion for his student.
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