- Oct 16, 2026
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UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones said he previously considered Ilia Topuria the first danger to his standing as the greatest of all time.
Jones remarked that he regarded the former UFC lightweight champion as unbeatable before Topuria's recent defeat. The two-division champion, who was undefeated before the loss, was stopped in the fourth round by Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House card. Gaethje claimed the belt with a stellar performance, ending Topuria's run. Topuria holds wins over several future UFC Hall of Famers.
Jones praised Topuria's boxing, power, and confidence, noting he carries himself well outside the ring. Jones said Topuria comes from a successful family, does not need money, and fights out of love. The two share the same manager. Jones indicated Topuria is doing all the right things in recovery and deserves to win. Jones also expressed a desire to hold onto his GOAT status for his kid's sake and his family's honor.
Other UFC events mentioned include UFC 333, with Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev and Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili 3, plus Amanda Nunes vs. Kayla Harrison at UFC 334. Promotional feuds involving Eddie Hearn, Dana White, Muhammad Mokaev, and Farad Basharat were also noted.
Source: MMA Fighting - Wed Oct 21, 5:00 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).