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Jon Jones’ Religion: Debunking Rumors About UFC Great’s Links To Islam

Since his UFC debut in 2008, Jon Jones has been through several ups and downs. He only has one DQ loss against Matt Hamill and boasts a record 15 title wins in the promotion. However, arrests and suspensions for performance-enhancing drug usage has compelled many fans to turn on him. Jones never refrains from acknowledging […]

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Since his UFC debut in 2008, Jon Jones has been through several ups and downs. He only has one DQ loss against Matt Hamill and boasts a record 15 title wins in the promotion. However, arrests and suspensions for performance-enhancing drug usage has compelled many fans to turn on him.

Jones never refrains from acknowledging such upsets, though. He claims to use his religion to learn from his mistakes and get ahead in life. Although he’s mostly come off as an ardent Christian, rumors regarding his conversion to Islam have surfaced at times as well.

So, here’s what religion Jones follows and whether he has converted to Islam…

What is Jon Jones’ Religion?

Jones follows Christianity and there are countless incidents to support this. After winning the UFC heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane in March 2023, he thanked Jesus Christ in his post-fight interview.

Another huge giveaway is the former UFC light heavyweight kingpin’s chest tattoo. It says “Philippians 4:13” which is based on a verse from the Bible stating:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

On top of this, “Bones” repeatedly talks about Jesus Christ in high regard on his socials. He also shares moments celebrating Christian festivals and appreciates Bible verses on these platforms.

Back in 2013, Jones appeared on an episode of UFC In The Moment and looked back at the time when doubted doubt religion after his sister passed away.

“Spirituality is what makes me do the right thing when no one is looking. To know someone is watching you when no one is watching you. I think it is an important thing to have. But I have also had times in my life where I have questioned religion. I had a sister who passed away. She was 18 years old. She had brain cancer. Within two years’ time, her life was over. Considering that she was a light and she was my only sister, it is tough for me. Despite all the questions that I have had, I have never given up on God, never given up on my faith.”

Did Jon Jones Convert To Islam?

No, Jones never converted to Islam and has only professed faith in Christianity. However, a few misinterpreted incidents have birthed rumors that he’s converted.

These include Jones joking about converting to Islam when Ariel Helwani once asked him about his beard in an interview. In other interviews, he also said the Arabic term Alhamdulillah, used to thank and praise God.

In hindsight, one can easily make out that Jones simply respects Islam. He revealed in the same interview that he grew a beard for no specific reason. Similarly, Arabic phrases like Alhamdulillah are widely used in pop culture regardless of the speaker’s religion.

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What Is Alex Pereira’s Walkout Song In The UFC?

Alex Pereira has gained massive popularity in the UFC, not just for his fighting style and consistency, but also for his cold walkouts to the Octagon. He starts with a hobbled, limping walk and then mimics shooting an arrow towards the opponent while screaming at them. Unlike stars such as Israel Adesanya, “Poatan” has used […]

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Alex Pereira has gained massive popularity in the UFC, not just for his fighting style and consistency, but also for his cold walkouts to the Octagon. He starts with a hobbled, limping walk and then mimics shooting an arrow towards the opponent while screaming at them.

Unlike stars such as Israel Adesanya, “Poatan” has used the same walkout since his debut at UFC 268. In return, fans regularly appreciate and imitate him on social media platforms and it is unlikely that he would change his walkout going forward.

Pereira has also used the same walkout song in his UFC fights, and here’s everything to know about it…

The Story Behind Alex Pereira’s Walkout Song

Itsári by Brazilan heavy metal band Sepultura is the song Pereira has used for all his UFC walkouts. In the Xavante language, Itsári means “Roots” and the instrumental track is an ode to Brazilian traditions.

Like the song, Pereira’s walkout routine is also inspired by his indigenous history. His first kickboxing coach was indigenous and after enquiring his parents about it, the UFC light heavyweight kingpin became aware of his cultural heritage.

In an interview with ESPN MMA in November 2022, “Poatan” explained how he came up with his UFC walkout theme and song:

“My first teacher had indigenous roots. I went home the same day and asked my mom. She said my grandparents were indigenous. It made me feel more confident. We wanted to resurrect my origins and indigenous culture. I made a ritual with a bow and arrow. Then a sequence with the indigenous music and that’s how it started.”

Pereira’s bow and arrow sequence depicts an early ritual in his culture. When matched with Itsári and his stoic face, it undeniably becomes one of the most intimidating walkouts in UFC history.

The former UFC middleweight champion proudly represents Brazil’s indigenous Pataxo tribe through walkouts, face paint, and interviews. He’s also popularized terms like Chama from Portuguese and Poatan from Tupi in MMA circles.

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Conor McGregor Sturgis Clip Decoded: Why Did The UFC Star Attend A Motorcycle Rally?

Conor McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC for over three years but he still makes the headlines easily. Most recently, the former UFC double champ visited Sturgis with several of his fan interactions going viral. McGregor is expected to return to the Octagon before the end of 2024. He seems to have recovered well from […]

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Conor McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC for over three years but he still makes the headlines easily. Most recently, the former UFC double champ visited Sturgis with several of his fan interactions going viral.

McGregor is expected to return to the Octagon before the end of 2024. He seems to have recovered well from his toe injury, relieving many fans eagerly waiting for the Michael Chandler fight.

“The Notorious” took the internet by storm attending a motorcycle rally in Sturgis and here’s everything to know about the incident…

Where Is The Viral Conor McGregor Sturgis Clip From?

McGregor was in Sturgis for the BKFC 63 event and his viral party clip is from the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally which began on August 2 and ends on August 11. He was seen clicking pictures and talking to other riders.

In the viral clip, “The Mystic Mac” seemingly ignored a fan dancing in front of him.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally boasts a massive footfall and many believe holding the BKFC event alongside it to be a wise move. The card was headlined by Britain Hart vs. Taylor Starling for the promotion’s strawweight championship. “The Notorious” hyped up the crowd with his entrance and was ringside for Sam Shewmaker vs. Josh Burns as well.

Another memorable moment was when the Irishman chugged a beer while exiting the BKFC stage, compelling fans to speculate whether he’s taking his UFC return seriously.

Interestingly, UFC President Dana White has attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally too. Back in 2017, he, Matt Serra, and Din Thomas searched South Dakota’s local fight promotion for talent and ended up signing Jared Gordon. The lightweight debuted that year and recently gained prominence for giving Paddy Pimblett his toughest fight in the UFC.

While at Sturgis, McGregor didn’t talk about his next UFC fight. Regardless, his Stone Cold Steve Austin-esque outfit and energy kept were enough to make him the talk of the town.

Continue Reading Conor McGregor Sturgis Clip Decoded: Why Did The UFC Star Attend A Motorcycle Rally? at MMA News.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Tax Problems Explained: How Much Money Does He Owe?

Khabib Nurmagomdeov has gained massive popularity in MMA circles due to his perfect record. He fought Conor McGregor at UFC 229, the most-bought PPV in the promotion’s history, and probably made a fortune from it. Nurmagomedov retired from MMA after defending his UFC lightweight belt for the third time at UFC 254. Since then, he’s […]

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Khabib Nurmagomdeov has gained massive popularity in MMA circles due to his perfect record. He fought Conor McGregor at UFC 229, the most-bought PPV in the promotion’s history, and probably made a fortune from it.

Nurmagomedov retired from MMA after defending his UFC lightweight belt for the third time at UFC 254. Since then, he’s focused on building his MMA promotion Eagle FC in Russia and training the likes of Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov and Usman Nurmagomedov.

The former UFC lightweight champion has also made headlines recently due to tax problems. Here’s how much money Nurmagomedov owes to the Russian Federation and what happened to his bank account…

Does Khabib Nurmagomedov Owe Taxes?

As per Russian media outlet Mash and Ren TV, Nurmagomedov owes $3.3 million (306 million Rubles) to the Federal Tax Services in Russia. It was also reported that he’s left Russia and now has UAE citizenship. However, with no response from the Dagestani fighter and his camp, it is hard to confirm whether these allegations are entirely true.

The reasons behind the retired UFC lightweight’s financial problems are speculated to be tax evasion and incorrect information in records. In 2021, Octagon.media revealed that authorities had blocked his foundation accounts because of untimely report submissions.

“The Eagle” had to pay 36,000 Rubles to avoid the liquidation of his foundation’s account. The account ban could’ve affected the partners of his foundation such as Lipestk LMK Group, Prime Top Indusrtry LLC, and Rosinka.

What Happened To Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Bank Account?

In May 2024, Mash and Ren TV reported that the Federal Tax Services in Russia had seized Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC and charity accounts. This was right after the authorities searched his gym due to connections with Gadzhimurad Kagirov, a fighter involved in the Derbent and Makhachkala terrorist attacks.

Nurmagomedov’s foundations that helped in the development of tourism in Dagestan were also allegedly shut down in the process.

Interestingly, the UFC legend’s team had rejected the early claims about his tax debt and had claimed that he was still growing his ventures.

On July 25, 2024, another report by Mash suggested that the authorities seized Nurmagomedov’s car collection worth over $800,000. This is suspected to be a result of him leaving Russia and settling in the UAE.

What Businesses Does Khabib Nurmagomedov Own?

Nurmagomedov owns Eagle FC, a Russian MMA promotion, and a fast food chain called M-Eat. Although it has previously featured the likes of Kevin Lee, Diego Sanchez, Rashad Evans, and Junior Dos Santos, the promotion’s last event took place in November 2023 and there’s no information on the next card.

M-Eat, on the flip side, has fourteen stores in Russia with plans to reach other countries as well.

Rival stars like McGregor have left no opportunity to call Nurmagomedov out for his tax troubles. Regardless, “The Eagle” has maintained silence while regularly appearing on UFC shows as a cornerman for Makhachev, Nurmagomedov, and other fighters.

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When Did Conor McGregor Start Fighting?

Conor McGregor can be credited with making countless people MMA fans with his iconic UFC run between 2013-16. His popularity skyrocketed further among casual MMA fans after boxing Floyd Mayweather in August 2017. Although McGregor hasn’t fought consistently lately, he became an MMA star for his courage to fight anytime, anywhere, and anyone. The most […]

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Conor McGregor can be credited with making countless people MMA fans with his iconic UFC run between 2013-16. His popularity skyrocketed further among casual MMA fans after boxing Floyd Mayweather in August 2017.

Although McGregor hasn’t fought consistently lately, he became an MMA star for his courage to fight anytime, anywhere, and anyone. The most unforgettable moments of his career might have come in the UFC, but not a lot of people are aware of his long journey to success.

So, here’s when McGregor started fighting and a brief rundown of his early pro and amateur career…

When Did Conor McGregor Start Training?

McGregor started training at the age of 12 at the Crumlin Boxing Club under Phil Sutcliffe. While talking to Irish Boxing, he credited the club for helping him sharpen his striking fundamentals. Sutcliffe has also revealed that “Mystic Mac” was one of his most focused students.

After winning a couple of novice boxing tournaments, McGregor aimed to learn other MMA disciplines and eventually started training at Straight Blast Gym under John Kavanagh.

When Was Conor McGregor’s First Fight?

McGregor made his amateur debut on February 17, 2007, against Kieran Campbell. He won via first-round TKO and immediately turned pro. He was first signed by Irish promotion Cage of Truth but went on to fight for Chaos Fighting Championship and Cage Warriors too.

Before joining the UFC, “The Notorious” lost twice via submission to Artemij Sitenkov and Joe Duffy. However, he bounced back by winning his next eight pro fights consecutively.

Holding the featherweight and lightweight titles at Cage Warriors simultaneously in April 2012 was the Dubliner’s big breakthrough. He first fought for the UFC in April 2013 against Marcus Brimage, and the rest is history…

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Did Jon Jones Leak His Phone Number?

Although he last fought in March 2023, Jon Jones is the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He bagged the title in his heavyweight debut by effortlessly submitting Ciryl Gane – but is yet to defend it. Jones was scheduled to fight Stipe Miocic in November 2023 but the contest has been delayed by almost a year […]

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Although he last fought in March 2023, Jon Jones is the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. He bagged the title in his heavyweight debut by effortlessly submitting Ciryl Gane – but is yet to defend it.

Jones was scheduled to fight Stipe Miocic in November 2023 but the contest has been delayed by almost a year due to the kingpin’s shoulder injury. In the meantime, Tom Aspinall has won and defended the interim UFC heavyweight title against Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes, respectively.

Jones is well aware that many fans want him to fight Aspinall instead of Miocic as the latter’s last fight was in March 2021. The former UFC light heavyweight champion responded to these demands in a rather unique way recently…

Jon Jones Posts Phone Number On X For Fans Demanding Tom Aspinall Fight

Jones shared a phone number on X on August 6, 2024, with the following caption:

“If you want me to fight Tom call and text me, I’ll respond for the next few days.”

This is naturally a sly dig toward fans who’ve been complaining about Jones vs. Miocic. However, many followers of the UFC heavyweight champion are curious whether he has leaked his real number or doxxed someone else.

Is Jon Jones’ Leaked Phone Number Real?

No, Jones’ phone number posted on X isn’t real. A big giveaway is the location above the number stating Glenview, IL, which is hundreds of miles away from New Mexico, the champ’s residence.

In a follow-up tweet, “Bones” acknowledged fans who took the number as a joke. He also asked his followers to continue calling even if the number is turned off, again implying that it’s not his own.

Despite the tension in MMA circles, Dana White has been adamant about Jones vs. Miocic in November 2024. The UFC President believes that the veterans deserve to fight each other after such illustrious careers.

Continue Reading Did Jon Jones Leak His Phone Number? at MMA News.