Jon Jones’ longtime rival Daniel Cormier has claimed the heavyweight champion’s history of failed drug tests had put an asterisk next to his name.
Jon ‘Bones’ Jones returned to the UFC for the first time in three years and immediately became the heavyweight champ with a convincing win over Ciryl Gane.
For many fans, this put no doubt in their minds that the former light heavyweight champion was the undisputed greatest of all time in the UFC.
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However, fierce rival DC has claimed that ‘it’s hard’ to put Jones in that position based on his history of controversial circumstances in MMA.
Jones defeated Cormier twice during his 205-pound title reign, however, one win was overturned after Bones tested positive for a turinabol metabolite.
In 2016, Jones tested positive for estrogen blockers after defeating Ovince Saint Preux.
Although an independent arbitrator determined that the new champion did not knowingly cheat, Cormier says he can’t consider him the GOAT.
Speaking on his ESPN show DC & RC, he said: “I think it’s hard to really argue the greatest of all time when Jones has now gone up to heavyweight and won the championship because of what he did at light heavyweight.
“This always puts me in a tough position, because I will always say guys that have bad things attached to their name should not be held on high.
“I think especially with the drugs and the steroid failures and those types of things. I think when you have those things, it’s hard to call you the greatest of all time.
“And I know Anderson (Silva) and all those guys, but I think (Jones) is in the conversation, because he’s become a heavyweight champion, and now he’s won belts in two weight classes.”
The UFC commentator insisted his stance wasn’t to be taken as bitterness but as an opinion that he’s always held.
The former MMA fighter also believed that Jones didn’t deserve to leapfrog into first position on the pound-for-pound rankings.
He said: “I don’t, for my opinion, believe he should be No. 1 pound-for-pound.
“I think Alexander Volkanovski should still stay there.
“I don’t think he should be No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but I have no issue with it if people have voted that.”
Many had predicted a win over the Frenchman would ensure Jones placed right on top of the rankings despite being his only fight in the last few years.
Despite his last win coming against Dominick Reyes in February 2020, ‘Bones’ still sat in 10th place on the rankings.
In fact, he was still ranked No. 1 until October 4, 2021, before Kamaru Usman knocked him off the top spot.
Now as he jumps ahead of nine other fighters with a heavyweight championship win, he’s once again cemented his place as the GOAT in the eyes of many.
Topics: Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier, UFC, MMA
Jayden Collins