When asked to name his top four UFC fighters, Dana White took less than second to name Jones, alongside Georges St-Pierre, Conor McGregor, and Ronda Rousey, for their “game-changing” contributions to the sport. Jones, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, responded by thanking White for the honor.
In a video that is now going viral amongst UFC fans, White omitted some big names to crown his mount Rushmore of the sport. The UFC head honcho provided a logical reason for all of his picks.
Jones is the youngest ever champion and holds a bunch of other records that don’t seem like they will be broken anytime soon. Besides, this was an obvious selection from White’s part given his insistence on Jones being the greatest combat sports athlete of all time.
Jon Jones on Instagram pic.twitter.com/O1WwCudrq9
— MMAFanatic (@FanaticMma10) September 10, 2024
Ronda Rousey paved the way for women in the sport and if it was not for her insistence, women would probably not have been in the UFC or made their debut much later in time.
And St-Pierre embodied the true meaning of what it is to be a martial artist. At the same time, he is the greatest welterweight champion of all time and one of the greatest fighters the UFC has ever seen.
Lastly, Conor McGregor!
The 56-year-old summarized it the best by saying, “He elevated and changed the game globally”.
Therefore, for White these are the most impactful names for the UFC. While two are done with their careers, Jones and McGregor could add a lot more to their resume before it is all said and done.
And according to reports, Jones will be up first in December.
Jon Jones to defend Dana White’s unwavering support with a win in November?
Dana White has been vocal lately about two things: Jon Jones being the pound-for-pound best fighter and how his next fight should be against Stipe Miocic.
During a recent press conference, White was asked about Jones’ GOAT status, leading to a spirited 12-minute argument. White doubled down, calling anyone who disagrees “stupid,” and insisted there’s no one better than Jones, even addressing concerns about his inactivity.
He pointed out Jones was supposed to fight Miocic in November 2023 but got sidelined by injury, so it’s not like he’s been avoiding fights.
White also addressed the buzz around Islam Makhachev, noting that many believe he lost to featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, questioning if that’s how pound-for-pound rankings should work.
The conversation then shifted to Stipe’s standing, with some arguing that fighters like the UFC’s interim heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall are more deserving of a shot right now.
Despite all the chatter, White is going ahead with Miocic vs Jones in November and ‘Bones’ has the chance to prove his boss right for having his back all along.
