Jon Jones isn’t focused on the pound-for-pound rankings ahead of UFC 285.
After Alexander Volkanovski lost a close fight against Islam Makhachev, there were debates about whether Volkanovski deserved to remain the P4P king. Those debates led to questions about Jones potentially taking the number one ranking if he beats Ciryl Gane on March 4.
During an interview with Jimmy Smith, Jones was asked if he felt the need to win in dominant fashion to secure the current P4P king spot. He responded by saying he had a bigger goal in mind:
“Of course I wanna perform at the highest level possible. I want to look great, and not only do I wanna win, I want to dominate, but no, I’m not really thinking of the pressure of being the pound-for-pound king. We all have our time looking like the absolute best in the world. I’m fighting for something I believe is bigger, which is the greatest of all time. I do believe a victory over Gane solidifies that.”
Jones last fought in February 2020, defeating Dominick Reyes by a close decision to retain the UFC light heavyweight world championship. Since then, ‘Bones’ has dedicated his time to correctly transitioning his body to compete in the heavyweight division.
Three years later, Jones is scheduled to make his heavyweight debut in the UFC 285 main event, with the vacant championship on the line. If the 35-year-old can defeat Gane on March 4, he would have a strong argument for being the greatest MMA fighter of all time.
"I'm fighting for something that I believe is bigger."
Jon Jones (@JonnyBones) tells @jimmysmithmma which title means more to him than 'Pound for Pound King' 👑 #UFC285
Source: Unlocking the Cage with Jimmy Smith pic.twitter.com/AfA4HPxzcM
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) February 21, 2023
Will Jon Jones be considered the GOAT by defeating Ciryl Gane?
The debate over who is the MMA GOAT is never-ending. Although several fighters are often considered, Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre have the sturdiest arguments. GSP retired with nine title defenses, while Jones currently has eleven. Meanwhile, some people don’t consider ‘Bones’ the GOAT because of his failed drug tests.
If failed drug tests aren’t held against Jones, it’s difficult to argue against him being the MMA GOAT with a win against Ciryl Gane. ‘Bones’ would have dominated two generations of the light heavyweight division and then made history by becoming the heavyweight champion. Only time will tell if he can silence the doubters and emerge victorious on March 4 at UFC 285.
