UFC president Dana White revealed Jon Jones is in his picks for the top five MMA fighters of all time after his triumphant return at UFC 285.
Jones made his long-awaited return to UFC -- and much-anticipated debut at heavyweight -- in his main-event clash against Ciryl Gane on Saturday.
The 35-year-old American star, who vacated the light heavyweight title back in 2020, dismantled France’s Gane in clinical fashion inside the first round.
Jones locked in a devastating chokehold to make the 32-year-old UFC star submit and captured the vacant heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
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‘Bones’ has become only the eighth MMA fighter in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes, following on from the likes of Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier.
Jones has often been placed in the conversation for the so-called ‘GOAT of MMA’ alongside the likes of Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Speaking after Jones’ demolition of Gane, White was asked to name his top five fighters of all time at his UFC 285 post-fight press conference.
The UFC chief revealed that the immediate names “off the top of my head” included legendary MMA trio Jones, GSP and Anderson Silva.
“S**t, right here off the top of my head, I mean, you got to go Jones, GSP, Anderson Silva, and two more that I can’t think of right now off the top of my head, but yeah […],” White said.
White also confirmed that Jones will make his first heavyweight title defence against former two-time champion Stipe Miocic, who was in attendance at UFC 285.
“I don’t know when, but he’s definitely fighting Stipe,” he told reporters.
White added: “He wants to fight Stipe so we’ll make the Stipe fight. And whatever he wants to do after that, we’ll be lucky if we get to see him again.
“Or maybe he doesn’t, maybe he retires after that. I don’t know.”
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Topics: Dana White, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Georges St Pierre, UFC, MMA
Adnan Riaz