Jon Jones Reveals Who he Considered a Threat to His Greatest of All Time Status
Jon Jones has named the one UFC fighter whom he saw as a threat to his status as the greatest of all time.
During a candid chat with Prince Street Pizza earlier today, "Bones" named Ilia Topuria as the first fighter he believed could take his place as the MMA GOAT. The American said:
"Before the White House Card, I thought he was . I thought that Ilia would be the first threat to, to, to be considered the greatest of all time. And then we saw what happened to him. Sometimes losing can be the greatest thing to happen to an athlete."
Check out Jon Jones' comments below:
Ilia Topuria Has had a Ton of Success in the Past Few Years
"El Matador" was on a tear after joining the UFC. His well-rounded skillset, confidence inside and outside the octagon, charismatic persona, ability to predict how he would finish fights, and many other qualities helped make him a star.
Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski in 2024 to capture the featherweight title. The Georgian-Spaniard successfully defended his strap by knocking out Max Holloway at UFC 308. Notably, Topuria was the first fighter to crack Holloway's iron chin.
After that, Topuria vacated and moved up to lightweight. On his divisional debut at UFC 317, he knocked out Charles Oliveira cold in Round 1 to capture the throne and join the list of two-division UFC champions.
2026 has been a year to forget for Ilia Topuria. After stepping away from the octagon to deal with personal issues, "El Matador" returned to action at UFC Freedom 250. The hiatus did not play out well as he suffered the first loss of his MMA career against Justin Gaethje, losing his title.
Topuria shattered his foot, fractured both orbital bones, and broke his nose during the 155-pound title unification clash, prompting his corner to stop the contest after 20 minutes.
When Will Ilia Topuria Return?
Ilia Topuria has fully recovered from the Justin Gaethje beating and has also resumed training. His team has said that the 29-year-old will be ready to fight starting Feb. 2027. Topuria is excited to run it back with lightweight champion Gaethje. However, if the UFC brass gives top contender Arman Tsarukyan the next title shot, Topuria could face his archrival Paddy Pimblett when he comes back.
One loss does not rule out Topuriaā€™s chances of becoming the MMA GOAT, as even Jon Jones has a defeat on his record. "El Matador" remains a potential threat to Jones' status as the greatest of all time, especially considering that Topuria has never been suspended or failed a drug test, further strengthening his case in the GOAT debate.
He is just 29 years old, already a two-division UFC champion, and in the years to come could capture a third belt and make history.
Jones, on the other hand, is still in the testing pool but recently confessed that his 2024 fight with Stipe Miocic was most likely his last bout.
