The Takedown | UFC: Jon Jones’ efforts to leverage GOAT status for a big payday fall flat with Dana White
- The 33-year-old former champion is arguably the greatest UFC fighter of all-time, but UFC president has shown he is willing to move on from anyone
- Jones now finds himself being talked out of fights because of pride, and may see himself left behind when it comes to the heavyweight division
After a long and illustrious career in the UFC, it appears Jon Jones’ biggest opponent is now the man in the mirror.
Context is important and let’s take a step back for a fuller look at how we got to the point where Jones seems to be beating himself up rather than opponents in the ring. This is not just another UFC fighter we are talking about, this is “Bones”, who defined an entire era of mixed martial arts and has more than earned his “GOAT” (greatest of all time) status.
In March 2011, Jones became the youngest UFC champion at the age of 23 when he stepped in to replace Rashad Evans and defeated Mauricio Rua via third-round TKO. Before that, Jones had already racked up an impressive UFC record of 6-1, defeating Stephan Bonnar, Brandon Vera and Ryan Bader on the way.
Let us not forget that one loss – a disqualification for illegal downward elbows against Matt Hamill – is one White himself has been trying to get scrubbed from Jones’ record for years. After beating Rua, Jones then went on a tear for the ages, one we may never see the likes of again, during a new era of increased exposure for mixed martial arts. From early 2011 to 2017, the UFC was essentially the Jon Jones show.
Jones beat Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Evans, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Alexander Gustafsson, Glover Teixeira, Daniel Cormier and Ovince Saint Preux. This list reads like a who’s who of UFC light heavyweight stalwarts, and Jones vanquished them all. He saw off fighters the UFC had pegged as superstars. He delivered highlight-reel knockouts and submissions, all the while floating through the 205-pound division.
