Jon Jones considered Ilia Topuria ‘first threat’ to his ‘GOAT’ status until loss to Justin Gaethje
MMA legend Jon Jones expressed admiration for former champion Ilia Topuria, noting he viewed him as a potential successor to his 'GOAT' status before Topuria's recent loss to Justin Gaethje. Jones praised Topuria's character and professional approach despite the career setback.
Why it matters
The comments provide insight into the professional respect and competitive dynamics between elite athletes in the UFC.
Jon Jones is widely considered the greatest of all time in MMA, but he viewed former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria as potentially the best candidate to eventually take that mythical spot from him.
Heading into his most recent fight at the UFC White House card, Topuria was already a two-division champion, undefeated and held wins over several future UFC Hall of Famers. But Justin Gaethje ultimately put on a stellar performance to stop Topuria in the fourth round as he claimed the belt and ended his run.
“Ilia Topuria [excites me],” Jones said when speaking to Prince Sreet Pizza. “Before that White House card, I looked at him as [invincible]. As bad as I want other fighters to come and beat my records and become the next greatest, there’s another side of me that wants to hold onto that for my kid’s sake and my family’s honor.
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