UFC: Jon Jones reacts to Khabib Nurmagomedov landing pound-for-pound No 1 spot – ‘this is hilarious’
- Former light heavyweight champ Jones hits out on social media after slipping to No 2 in rankings
- ‘It was work of my life, I never got anything easy, and nothing was given to me because I’m a nice guy,’ says retired Khabib
Jon Jones has hit out at the UFC after being toppled from the summit of its pound-for-pound rankings by Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The UFC lightweight champ (29-0) announced his shock retirement after beating former interim champ Justin Gaethje (22-3) by second-round triangle choke in Saturday’s UFC 254 main event on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
Nurmagomedov asked “only one thing” of the UFC – to be placed No 1 in the pound-for-pound top 15 on Tuesday, and the promotion’s ranking judges duly obliged, to the chagrin of former three-time light heavyweight champ Jones (26-1, one no contest).
“This is number one b*******,” the 33-year-old American wrote on Twitter.
“Unanimous decision over last-minute replacement Al Iaquinta to become champion,” Jones added. “Conor McGregor is the only opponent he’s ever had that the general public actually knew. Catapulted my man to becoming the best ever, this is hilarious.”
Nurmagomedov’s win over “The Highlight” in Abu Dhabi was his third title defence, a year on from submitting former interim champ Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier (26-6) in the United Arab Emirates.
