Islam Makhachev dissents from the mainstream thought that considers Jon Jones the greatest fighter of all time (GOAT) in MMA. However, Jones isn’t ready to take that opinion lying down, regardless of who makes it.
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Given that Jones faced allegations of doping multiple times over his MMA career, Makhachev, like many, questioned the former heavyweight champion’s status as the MMA GOAT during an interview with Ushatayka a few days ago. As anticipated, Jones offered a strong rebuttal to the UFC welterweight champion’s argument.
“Let’s start this week by dispeling rumors that have been spread by people chasing me,” Jones’ X post read. “If you believe USADA for finding a pico gram in my system, then you must believe USADA when they say, ‘It was not found to be PERFORMANCE ENHANCING or INTENTIONAL.’ You can’t have it both ways.
“Last I checked, my hand got raised every time I was in the octagon since any of you can remember. Your own coach said I was ‘a gift from God.’ Let’s not forget you’ve been ko’d, flat lined, went night night.”
Jon Jones’ dig is in reference to Islam Makhachev’s first-round knockout loss to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in October 2015. Then there’s the reference to what Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Islam’s mentor and former coach, said about Jon Jones back in 2016.
“Jon Jones is a gift from God, not from Greg Jackson,” Nurmagomedov had said. “Jones is number 1 among all fighters; we don’t talk about his behavior or legal problems. But I’m sure he’ll destroy even the Top-5 of heavyweight division.”
Jones has often cited the comment as something that left him greatly honored. So him referencing the comments of Khabib’s father is another way to add weight to his rebuttal. However, the 39-year-old also ensured that his response was directed at his former rival equally.
Let’s start this week by dispeling rumors that have been spread by people chasing me: 1. If you believe USADA for finding a pico gram in my system, then you must believe USADA when they say “It was not found to be PERFORMANCE ENHANCING or INTENTIONAL”. You can’t have it both Show more
“[Daniel Cormier], I kicked you in the head LOL. Keep telling yourself it was steroids,” Jones added. “Whatever you need to tell yourselves to sleep better at night, go for it. Keep chasing; it’s lonely at the top. Islam, hopefully I’ll see you up here one day.”
Jones’ response follows the recent comments Makhachev made during an interview. While he does consider Jones “one” of the greatest fighters in history, the welterweight champion, who made a successful title defense against Ian Machado Garry last month, thinks the two instances when Jones failed drug tests raise considerable questions over his wins.
“Because he went into a fight while on PEDs and won. That’s where a new count should have started,” Makhachev had said in his interview with Ushatayka.
Jon Jones has been at the center of several drug-testing controversies. Reportedly, it began with a December 2014 test that detected a cocaine metabolite in an out-of-competition sample. While the UFC fined him $25,000, the testing results did not lead to any suspension. Jones later entered a treatment facility.
Two years later, Jones was pulled from UFC 200 after out-of-competition tests found clomiphene and letrozole. As a result, a one-year USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) suspension followed. An arbitration panel accepted Jones’ explanation that a contaminated sexual enhancement product could have caused the violation.
In 2017, another failed test involving the metabolite of the banned anabolic steroid Turinabol led to his UFC 214 victory over Daniel Cormier being overturned to a no-contest and cost Jones the light heavyweight title.
USADA later handed Jones a 15-month suspension in 2018. The sanction was, however, reduced after he provided substantial assistance and the arbitrator determined that there was no evidence Jones intentionally cheated.
More recently, in 2024, Jones became involved in a separate dispute with a Drug Free Sport International collector during a testing visit to his home. Later, allegations of threats and the temporary taking of the collector’s phone followed. Jones, however, denied the accusations. The incident ultimately resulted in misdemeanor charges rather than a doping violation.
All these incidents came during a winning streak that followed Jones’ lone UFC and perhaps career loss, one in which he suffered defeat to Matt Hamill via disqualification.
Jon Jones vs. Islam Makhachev: two legacies, one question
On paper, that record is comparable to what Makhachev currently has. In 30 professional bouts, the Dagestani has suffered only one loss, which, like Jones, took place early in his career. A win over two weight classes remains another point of comparison.
While Jones has neared the end of his career, Makhachev is still at the peak of his. In particular, his record 17-fight winning streak that broke Anderson Silva’s 13-year record remains a standout in UFC history
That success has now put him in frequent GOAT conversations. In Makhachev’s case, the comparison often comes with his coach and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who, like Jones, is widely considered an all-time great.
With conversations about the greatest fighters taking place, Jon Jones’ inclusion in them likely confounded Makhachev and perhaps others who share his view.
If a legacy is to be decided by a clean record, then it’s important to note that Makhachev’s own record was not entirely spotless.
On April 16, 2016, less than a year after he made his UFC debut, Makhachev was booked to fight Drew Dober on UFC on Fox 19. But the matchup was called off after pre-event drug testing detected meldonium, a prohibited medication.
The positive test result initially led to a USADA suspension. But after a hearing on July 2, 2016, the sanction was lifted when it appeared that Makhachev had been prescribed the medication in November 2015 while recovering from a heart procedure.
So, when it comes to discussions about his place among the greatest fighters, Makhachev’s resume might also face some questions.