The debate over the greatest UFC fighter of all time has produced plenty of contenders, but Jon Jones remains a popular choice among fans and pundits alike. His dominance inside the Octagon, spanning multiple eras and two weight divisions, gives him a strong claim to the throne. While his career has been marred by controversies outside the cage, his fighting legacy is difficult to overlook.
Legends such as Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Demetrious Johnson have all entered the GOAT conversation, with Islam Makhachev also strengthening his case in recent years. Yet, Jones continues to stand out as the benchmark for greatness.
Interestingly, the former two-division champion recently revealed that Jones viewed Ilia Topuria as a potential threat to his place atop the all-time rankings.
Jon Jones Remains a Fan of Ilia Topuria Despite Brutal UFC White House Loss
In a recent interview with Prince St. Pizza, Jones admitted that Topuria was an exciting fighter to watch. “Ilia Topuria [excites me]. Before that White House card, I looked at him as [invincible]. As bad as I want other fighters to come and beat my records and become the next greatest, there’s another side of me that wants to hold onto that for my kid’s sake and my family’s honor.”
Jones went on to explain why he saw the Spaniard as a potential threat to his GOAT status. “Honestly, I thought Ilia would be the first threat to be considered the greatest of all time, and then we saw what happened to him.”
However, Topuria’s brutal loss to Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event took a major hit on his momentum. The Spaniard was stopped at the end of the fourth round and retired on his stool, allowing Gaethje to claim the undisputed lightweight title in front of the White House.
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Despite the setback, Jones remains a fan of Topuria and had plenty of praise for the fighter’s character outside the Octagon. “I like the way he carries himself outside the ring. He comes from a successful family, and he’s a guy who doesn’t have to fight; he doesn’t need the money, but he does it out of love, and those are the reasons that made me a big Ilia fan.”
With Jones seemingly done with his fighting career and Topuria looking to return with an immediate rematch against Gaethje, all eyes will be on how the Spaniard responds to the biggest setback of his career.