- Dana White thinks Jon Jones should be hailed as UFC’s GOAT if he ends up beating Ciryl Gane
- The UFC boss believes nobody has ever stopped “Bones”
Dana White is among those who will be convinced that Jon Jones will etched his name in UFC history as the greatest of all time if he manages to score a clean victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.
Behold the GOAT
Speaking to TMZ Sports, the UFC boss argued that nobody has ever really figured Jones out, and if it wasn’t for some issues outside the sport, “Bones” will be undefeated with victories over an array of world-class fighters across his name.
“There’ll be no debate if he wins on Saturday night. Anybody who thinks that Jon Jones is not the greatest of all time, he should be 27-0 right now and I’ve tried to get rid of that one it was at a time when the Nevada State Athletic Commission was very weak and the ref that was in there at that time was a guy that I said shouldn’t even be reffing at that time and that’s why Jon Jones has that one, but anyway… everybody knows, everyone knows Jon didn’t lose that fight. Nobody’s ever beat Jon Jones ever,” White said.
UFC 285 will be Jones’ heavyweight debut and first UFC match since 2020. Like renowned boxing coach Teddy Atlas, White also likened the former light heavyweight’s lengthy hiatus to that of the late Muhammad Ali. However, the UFC president suggests that Jones may not end up like Ali, who lost to Joe Frazier when he returned.
“And you know a three-year layoff, I’m a big believer in ring rust but yeah I mean look at [Muhammad] Ali, Ali had three years off he came back and he didn’t look the same but who knows? Jon Jones is a freak of nature,” he continued. “… Everybody’s questioning the weight well he did the weight the right way, took him three years to put that weight on it and do it. He didn’t do it in less than a year and become a blown up light heavyweight. So, he’s got that going for him Ciryl Gane you know, this guy moves like a middleweight and the big question is what’s going to happen… if Jon Jones takes him down.”
Having doubters is good
White also pointed out that the fact that people believe Gane is a tougher opponent for Jones than former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, strengthens “Bones’” case for becoming the GOAT.
“What makes this fight so great for Jon Jones is that in the Francis Ngannou fight, when everybody thought that was going to happen, Jon Jones was the favorite. Now, against Ciryl Gane, he’s the underdog. So, if you’re Jon Jones, this is a much better fight for you because people believe that you can’t beat him. So, there will be no arguments over who the goat is if he beats Ciryl Gane on Saturday,” White explained.
Jones and Gane will compete for the vacant UFC heavyweight title at UFC 285 but as early as now, Stipe Miocic already has his eyes locked on the winner.
