Both fighters won championship titles in two different weight classes, but “Bones” stands head-and-shoulders above “Notorious” for multiple reasons, according to Rogan.
Jon Jones is special. Conor McGregor … not so much.
That’s according to UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who was around for the entirety of their respective careers, watching them unfold from behind the broadcast desk (with varying partners). So what makes “Bones” the superior fighter over the last decade?
“Jon’s in a different category,” Rogan said on his Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “Conor self-destructed in a lot of ways because of money. He took that fight with Floyd Mayweather, made a ton of money off that, and then took a long time before he came back to MMA, and he’s just not been the same guy since. And I think that’s just … it’s money, it’s a lot of partying, but it’s the same kind of thing. It’s just a wild (change). But when Conor was in his prime, he was a f*cking assassin.”
Before his blockbuster boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. back in summer 2017, which made “Notorious” one of the richest fighters in all of combat sports, McGregor, now 36, was 9-1 in UFC with seven knockouts and two championship titles.
Following the Mayweather fight, McGregor is just 1-3, getting stopped in all three losses.
“Jon is a special dude,” Rogan continued. “When he’s gone, we’re all going to miss him. He’s a different kind of guy. I mean, he’s been at the top for 14 f*cking years. He was the youngest guy to ever win a UFC title, 23. But when Jon Jones won that title at 23, it’s just been destruction of everyone ever since. Never ducked anybody, fought all the best, destroyed everybody, and dominated his division, (then) went up to heavyweight, dominates at heavyweight.”
Jones, 37, has not been without his share of problems over the years, both inside and outside the cage, but his return to heavyweight to capture a second strap — which he recently defending by stopping Stipe Miocic — has been nothing short of sensational.
Not good enough for the top spot at pound-for-pound, but that’s an argument for a different article.