UFC heavyweight contender Rizvan Kuniev blasted the UFC rankings for having Alex Pereira so highly placed in them.
Despite a 0-1 UFC heavyweight record with a TKO loss to Ciryl Gane, Pereira is ranked No. 3 in the Meta UFC Rankings, which rank Kuniev at No. 5.
The Meta UFC Rankings use an AI algorithm to determine their ranks, while the UFC media rankings do not rank Pereira at heavyweight, while ranking Kuniev No. 7.
Both the Meta UFC Rankings and the UFC media rankings have Pereira ranked No. 3 at light heavyweight, the division he was formerly a two-time champion at.
But the fact that Pereira is so highly ranked at heavyweight despite having zero wins in the division is not lost on Kuniev, who made his displeasure known about it in a recent interview.
Rizvan Kuniev Not Happy With UFC Rankings
Speaking to MMAFighting.com ahead of UFC 333, Kuniev made it clear that he has a bone to pick with the Meta UFC Rankings.
“As far as I’m concerned, I think it’s AI that does those rankings because it doesn’t really make much sense. I think the reason why he’s No. 3 is because they’re looking at all his accolades being a champion in two weight classes before this one,” Kuniev said.
“But to go on No. 3 in heavyweight after one loss, I think that’s very strange because at least give him a couple more fights. Nobody really even understood what Alex Pereira stands for in heavyweight. Nobody really saw what he can do. So to give him No. 3 right off the bat just seems off. I think at least a couple more fights, and then we can see. But just to have them at three is very strange.”
Rizvan Kuniev Fights at UFC 333
On Saturday, Kuniev will have a chance to move up in the rankings, as he battles fellow Russian Alexander Volkov, who is ranked at No. 4 in the Meta UFC Rankings and No. 2 in the UFC media rankings.
Kuniev, who is 2-1 so far in his UFC career, can take a big step forward rankings-wise should he pull off the upset over Volkov.
Rizvan Kuniev Blasts UFC Rankings for Alex Pereira’s High Rank