Jon Jones says his Jackson-Wink MMA teammate Holly Holm has “big balls” for stepping into the cage with the “meanest” women’s fighters.
Jon Jones has a good relationship with Amanda Nunes, but there was “no way, shape, or form” he was rooting for the UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion against his teammate Holly Holm at UFC 239.
Jones, who defended his light heavyweight title against Thiago Santos in the UFC 239 main event last weekend in Las Vegas, said he respects Nunes, but that it was difficult watching her finish Holm in the first round of the co-main event. Jones and Holm have trained together for years at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque.
“I really wanted Holly to do it,” Jones said at the UFC 239 post-fight press conference. “I do respect Amanda a lot and I’m honored to fight in the same era as her. But tonight, it wasn’t bittersweet, it was just bitter for me to watch my sister go down.
“Holly is a very dear friend of mine. She sold me my last house. My daughters look up to her. She’s friends with my fiancee.”
Jones, who fought Santos right after Holm lost via first-round knockout, considers Holm his “sister.” He said they talked after the card had wrapped up and he told her that little girls should have Barbie dolls of her and have posters of her on their walls. Jones said Holm is “so courageous.”
“Most people don’t want to fight the Ronda Rouseys of the world,” Jones said. “Most people are happy being a gatekeeper or a C-level fighter. Holly, every time she steps up to the challenge against the meanest girl, the girl who is the killer, and she does it with grace and with a smile on her face.
“Even the way it worked out tonight, I could see her wanting a rematch. She’s just that type of person. She has big balls. She has big balls. And I’m so proud of her.”