Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is willing to compare his UFC run to anyone, including Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Jones is preparing to make his return at heavyweight, potentially by the end of 2022. He’s been out of competition since vacating the light heavyweight title in 2020 following a win over Dominick Reyes.
Jones, despite his long hiatus, is still considered by many as arguably the greatest UFC fighter of all time. He holds numerous UFC records, including when he became the youngest-ever UFC champion by defeating Shogun Rua early in his tenure.
Jones not only has paid attention to the GOAT conversation but also to the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. He took issue with Nurmagomedov supplanting him as the UFC’s best pound-for-pound fighter following the then-lightweight champion’s win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.
Jon Jones Takes Issues With Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Accolades Being More Valued
In a recent tweet, Jones posted an image taking a jab at comparisons with Nurmagomedov.
“One of my friends text me this, I just figured I would throw it up on my Twitter. Nothing else to say,” Jones tweeted.
It is difficult to debate that Jones has a stronger career résumé than Khabib, but one distinction for those who may rate Khabib higher is that they rate him as the “better” fighter, or the “BOAT,” as in the best fighter ever from a talent perspective, regardless of resume or longevity. This argument is strengthened by the fact that Khabib managed to go undefeated throughout his career at 29-0, a record no UFC fighter has been able to match.
Jones’ lone defeat in the Octagon came via disqualification against Matt Hamill in Dec. 2009. It is the only blemish on his otherwise stellar record, which has included title wins against Daniel Cormier, Alexander Gustafsson, and Rashad Evans.
Jones has the opportunity to add a second UFC title to his already legendary career in the Octagon. He’s been linked to a potential fight against Stipe Miocic that may happen later this year.
Jones and Nurmagomedov don’t seem to have any legitimate bad blood between them, though Jones has felt insulted by his résumé getting pushed to the wayside in favor of Nurmagomedov and others in the GOAT debate.
Is Jon Jones or Khabib Nurmagomedov’s UFC tenure more impressive?