"Did Jon Jones pass away?" - Fans react to Alexander Volkanovski possibly replacing Kamaru Usman as the No. 1 P4P fighter after latter's title loss

Kamaru Usman's UFC 278 loss dethroned him as the welterweight champion. It has also put his P4P status in jeopardy, with Alexander Volkanovski primed to take over. However, some fans want Jon Jones to return to the top slot.

Usman lost his belt to Leon Edwards in spectacular fashion, ending a reign that spanned three years and five successful title defenses.

MMA History Today on Twitter announced that 'Volk' will be number one come Monday morning.

Fans reacted to the tweet and expressed their disappointment at Jones' snub. Carlos Dieguez said:

"Did Jon Jones pass away? He’s literally NEVER lost."

It is worth noting that 'Bones' only slots in at No.11 in the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings. His inactivity has cost him the top spot, causing him to steadily fall down the pecking order over the past two years. 'Bones' himself expressed frustration with the rankings at one point:

"It’s funny seeing people have the satisfaction of being ranked over me when I’m not even competing. Just take me off that silly list."

Many other fans suggested No.4-ranked lightweight Charles Oliveira as an alternative:

However, the majority of fans on Twitter celebrated Volkanovski's imminent ascension and stated that he is the most deserving:

A small portion of fans also echoed Leon Edwards' words from his post-fight interview where he dismissed the significance of pound-for-pound rankings. 'Rocky' said:

"Pound-for-pound what? Pound-for-pound what? There is no pound-for-pound. The belt belongs to nobody. That's it."

Watch Leon Edwards' impassioned speech:

Fans tweeted along the same lines:

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Jon Jones teases a return to action at UFC 282

For the former light heavyweight champion to warrant a rise in the pound-for-pound rankings, he must first fight. Jones has been inactive since he vacated his belt over a pay dispute with Dana White and the UFC.

He also simultaneously announced his intention to move up a weight class and become a heavyweight. Two years on from his last fight against Dominick Reyes, which he barely won, Jones revealed a potential return event could be UFC 282.

Check out his tweet:

Jones also outlined his aim for his much-anticipated heavyweight debut:

"My goal, my dream is to have my first heavyweight title fight look like my first light heavyweight title fight. Pure domination"

Check out his tweet below:

Jon Jones conveniently placed himself in the title picture, but that would mean he would have to go up against the hardest hitter in the world, Francis Ngannou. The UFC would by no means be averse to such a blockbuster matchup, so there is no reason to not be hopeful.