Famed former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently offered high praise for fellow fighting legend Jon Jones.
Khabib himself is consistently named in discussions about the greatest fighter of all time. Following Jones`s recent retirement announcement, Nurmagomedov went so far as to declare Jones the “best who ever do it in UFC history.”
Sharing his thoughts via Instagram Stories, Nurmagomedov stated:
“My congratulations, legend. Even we was not friends but you are the best who ever do it in UFC history and you inspire millions of people around the world. You have nothing more to prove in this sport.”
Both Nurmagomedov and Jones completed their mixed martial arts careers without a genuine defeat inside the octagon. Khabib retired with a perfect 29-0 record, concluding his UFC tenure in 2020 after securing four consecutive lightweight title defenses. Jones finished his career at 28-1 (1 NC), with his single loss resulting from a disqualification for illegal elbows during a 2009 fight against Matt Hamill.
Jones rose to prominence swiftly, becoming the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23 when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the light heavyweight title – a record he still holds. He defended this title an impressive 11 times. After a break between 2020 and 2023, he returned to the heavyweight division, claiming a second divisional title by defeating Ciryl Gane for the vacant belt at UFC 285.
Despite his unparalleled in-cage success, Jones`s career has been marked by significant issues outside of competition. His initial reign as light heavyweight champion ended when the title was vacated following a hit-and-run conviction in April 2015. Later, after defeating rival Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 to regain the title, the victory was overturned when Jones subsequently tested positive for banned substances.
The 37-year-old fighter has also faced multiple charges for driving while intoxicated and was charged with domestic battery in September 2021. Even his recent retirement announcement on a Saturday was overshadowed by reports emerging the same evening that Jones had recently been charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
