Jon Jones, a name synonymous with UFC greatness and a popular pick for the greatest fighter of all time, just dropped a bombshell: he actually viewed Ilia Topuria as a serious threat to his legendary GOAT status. This wasn’t some offhand comment, either. Jones made it clear in a recent interview with Prince St. Pizza that before that wild UFC White House card, Topuria had him thinking a new era was dawning.
Jones Confesses His GOAT Jitters
Look, Jones has dominated for ages, across two divisions, solidifying his spot in the history books alongside legends like Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, and even recent powerhouse Islam Makhachev. But even the GOAT himself had eyes on Topuria. Jones straight up admitted that Topuria was “exciting to watch” and, get this, he even considered him “invincible” before the big White House event. It’s wild to think Jones, with all his records, would see anyone that way. He even confessed to a kind of internal struggle, saying, “As bad as I want other fighters to come and beat my records and become the next greatest, there’s another side of me that wants to hold onto that for my kid’s sake and my family’s honor.” Then the kicker: “Honestly, I thought Ilia would be the first threat to be considered the greatest of all time, and then we saw what happened to him.”
The White House Wrecking Ball That Stopped the Hype
Yeah, “then we saw what happened to him” is the understatement of the year. The hype surrounding Topuria hit a brick wall at the UFC White House event, courtesy of Justin Gaethje. It was a brutal night for the Spaniard, who was stopped at the end of the fourth round and actually retired on his stool. Gaethje wasn’t just there to win, he was there to make a statement, and he did, claiming the undisputed lightweight title right there in front of the White House. That loss definitely put a dent in Topuria’s momentum, and that “invincible” feeling Jones had before the fight must have evaporated faster than a Seattle summer sun.
Jones Still Has Love For Topuria’s Grit
Even after the devastating loss, Jones isn’t backing down from his admiration for Topuria. He’s still a fan, praising the fighter’s character outside the Octagon. “I like the way he carries himself outside the ring,” Jones stated, noting that Topuria “comes from a successful family, and he’s a guy who doesn’t have to fight; he doesn’t need the money, but he does it out of love, and those are the reasons that made me a big Ilia fan.” With Jones seemingly done with his own fighting career, it’s all eyes on Topuria now. He’s reportedly looking for an immediate rematch against Gaethje. How he bounces back from the biggest setback of his career is going to be must-watch TV. Can he reclaim that “invincible” aura, or did Gaethje expose a limit? We’re all gonna find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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