Tag: Jon Jones

Dana White reveals MMA Mount Rushmore, includes UFC stars Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey

Dana White reveals MMA Mount Rushmore, includes UFC stars Conor McGregor, Ronda RouseyUFC CEO, Dana White has revealed his quartet of fighters who feature on his Mount Rushmore of mixed martial…

Dana White reveals MMA Mount Rushmore, includes UFC stars Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey

UFC CEO, Dana White has revealed his quartet of fighters who feature on his Mount Rushmore of mixed martial arts — and while some choices may be surprising — the promotional boss has stuck to combatants who have competed in his organization.

White, the long-time president-turned-CEO of the UFC, was quizzed as to whom would feature on his Mouth Rushmore in a mixed martial arts setting — and chose former two-weight champions, Georges St-Pierre and Conor McGregor — as well as female trailblazer, Ronda Rousey, and likely nobodies surprise, incumbent heavyweight best Jon Jones, whom he had tirelessly championed recently.

Dana White reveals MMA Mount Rushmore featuring UFC stars

“You’ve got to go with Jon Jones,” Dana White said. You’ve got to go with Ronda Rousey. Women would not be fighting in the UFC if it wasn’t for her.”

You would have to put GSP (Georges St-Pierre) in there and absolutely, positively Conor McGregor,” Dana White explained. “He elevated and changed the game globally.”

Conor McGregor will not fight in 2024 says Dana White

Receiving both props and criticizm aplenty following his choices, White had been accused online of simply picking fighters from the promotion who landed himself and the promotion some of the most lucrative cards in the history of combat sports.

Picking Rousey for her inaugural bantamweight title reign and presence amongst a male-dominant space during her early years in the sport, White then called upon Canadian icon, St-Pierre — who struck gold during two separate eras in the sport — in two separate divisions to boot.

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Furthermore, after providing a positive update on the fighting future of McGregor — White picked the charismatic Dubliner who became the first two-division champion who held belts simultaneously back in 2016.

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Singing the praise of the polarizing Jones ahead of his expected return at UFC 309 in November, White included the outspoken Rochester native — having very-publicly proclaimed him as the greatest combat sports fighter that’s ever lived, and comprising a gushing video package during the broadcast of the Contender Series last week.

Jon Jones Reacts To Inclusion On Dana White’s MMA Mount Rushmore

There is always going to be debate amongst the fans about who would make it onto an MMA version of Mount Rushmore. Even when looking exclusively at the UFC, that can be difficult to narrow it down to just four spots considering how many fighters have m…

There is always going to be debate amongst the fans about who would make it onto an MMA version of Mount Rushmore. Even when looking exclusively at the UFC, that can be difficult to narrow it down to just four spots considering how many fighters have made huge impacts and left behind incredible legacies. The […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones Reacts To Inclusion On Dana White’s MMA Mount Rushmore at MMA News.

Jon Jones Reacts To Inclusion On Dana White’s MMA Mount Rushmore

There is always going to be debate amongst the fans about who would make it onto an MMA version of Mount Rushmore. Even when looking exclusively at the UFC, that can be difficult to narrow it down to just four spots considering how many fighters have m…

There is always going to be debate amongst the fans about who would make it onto an MMA version of Mount Rushmore. Even when looking exclusively at the UFC, that can be difficult to narrow it down to just four spots considering how many fighters have made huge impacts and left behind incredible legacies. The […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones Reacts To Inclusion On Dana White’s MMA Mount Rushmore at MMA News.

Aljamain Sterling: UFC’s Focus On Jones vs. Miocic Could Involve Overseas Sheikh Influence

Rarely has a fight been spoken about and debated as much before it has even happened, as the overdue meeting between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. The current and former UFC heavyweight champions were set to meet at UFC 295 in what many believed would be…

Rarely has a fight been spoken about and debated as much before it has even happened, as the overdue meeting between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. The current and former UFC heavyweight champions were set to meet at UFC 295 in what many believed would be the final fight of both men’s careers. Jones’ injury […]

Continue Reading Aljamain Sterling: UFC’s Focus On Jones vs. Miocic Could Involve Overseas Sheikh Influence at MMA News.

DC’s Coach Says Jon Jones’ Doping Should Disqualify Him From GOAT Talk, Cites Lance Armstrong

DC’s Coach Says Jon Jones’ Doping Should Disqualify Him From GOAT Talk, Cites Lance ArmstrongJavier Mendez, the legendary coach of both Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, has a problem with Dana White’s insistence…

DC’s Coach Says Jon Jones’ Doping Should Disqualify Him From GOAT Talk, Cites Lance Armstrong

Javier Mendez, the legendary coach of both Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, has a problem with Dana White’s insistence that Jon Jones is the GOAT of mixed martial arts.

On more than one occasion, the UFC CEO has engaged in a fiery back-and-forth with the MMA media over his belief that ‘Bones’ is the greatest fighter of all time and thus, should be sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings. However, respected journalists like Kevin Iole and John Morgan suggest that Jones’ lack of activity should exempt him from the P4P list.

During a recent episode of his own podcast, Mendez seemingly sided with Iole and Morgan, but for a decidedly different reason.

“Dana is still insisting that Jon Jones is pound-for-pound #1,” Mendez said. “He has his valid points, but my valid point is I just want to say one thing: Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France how many times, and basically, he got all those titles taken away from him because of one thing—doping. And even though it was many years later that they caught him, he lost all the Tour de France titles.

“Well, it’s been a fact, it’s been proven, Jon Jones has been caught doping. So, I’m sorry, I think that disqualifies him just based on that alone” (h/t MMA News).

Jon Jones was flagged for use of an anabolic steroid in 2017

Following his third-round TKO victory over Cormier at UFC 214, it was revealed that Jones had tested positive for turinabol, an anabolic steroid typically used by athletes and bodybuilders to increase muscle mass and enhance their athletic performance.

As a result, the win for Jones was overturned to a no-contest and he was slapped with a 15-month suspension by the California State Athletic Commission.

Jon Jones

Jones returned 17 months later to reclaim the light heavyweight title. He would go on to defend it three more times against Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes before vacating the belt and announcing his move to heavyweight.

Fast forward another three years, ‘Bones’ finally made his heavyweight debut, defeating Ciryl Gane to claim the vacated title with a quick two-minute submission of ‘Bon Gamin’ at UFC 285.

Jon Jones

Jones is yet to defend the title but is slated to square off with former two-time titleholder Stipe Miocic this November when the UFC returns to Madison Square Garden.

DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong

Daniel Cormier’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently stirred the debate around Jon Jones’ GOAT status by invoking a comparison to Lance Armstrong. In recent months, the conversation surrounding the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all time has intensified, with Jones’ name consistently leading the discussion. UFC CEO Dana White has been especially vocal, passionately championing the […]

Continue Reading DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently stirred the debate around Jon Jones’ GOAT status by invoking a comparison to Lance Armstrong.

In recent months, the conversation surrounding the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all time has intensified, with Jones’ name consistently leading the discussion. UFC CEO Dana White has been especially vocal, passionately championing the reigning heavyweight kingpin’s place at the top of the all-time rankings.

Jones etched his name in the history books as the youngest champion in UFC history, seizing the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old with a commanding victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011. Since that momentous win, “Bones” has stepped into the octagon for 15 title fights, emerging victorious in every single one, save for the no-contest in his rematch against Cormier at UFC 214 in July 2017.

Jones’ resume is arguably unmatched in the sport, but his illustrious career has been marred by a series of high-profile scandals, most notably his positive test for the banned substance turinabol. This tainted legacy is precisely why Mendez believes that, despite his achievements, Jones is unworthy of the GOAT status…

Mendez Asserts Jones’ Doping Test ‘Disqualifies’ Him From GOAT Status

During a recent episode of the Javier Mendez Podcast, the renowned MMA coach weighed in on White’s persistent endorsement of Jones as the GOAT. Mendez drew a striking comparison between “Bones” and legendary cyclist Armstrong, who famously won the Tour de France a record seven times, only to have all his titles and accolades stripped away following his admission to using performance-enhancing drugs.

“Dana is still insisting that Jon Jones is pound-for-pound #1,” Mendez said. “He has his valid points, but my valid point is I just want to say one thing: Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France how many times, and basically, he got all those titles taken away from him because of one thing—doping. And even though it was many years later that they caught him, he lost all the Tour de France titles. Well, it’s been a fact, it’s been proven, Jon Jones has been caught doping. So, I’m sorry, I think that disqualifies him just based on that alone.”

“Bones” has been inactive since his move to the heavyweight division in March 2023, where he made a triumphant debut by securing a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 to clinch the vacant title.

Jones was initially set to make his first title defense against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023. However, just days before the fight, the heavyweight champ had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. Now, the highly anticipated clash between the two is rumored to headline UFC 309, scheduled for November.

Continue Reading DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong at MMA News.