Game recognises game, or, in UFC boss Dana White’s case, GOATs recognise GOATs. Speaking to MMA Junkie and other reporters backstage at UFC Fight Night 218 in 2023, White and the UFC brass were preparing for a historic bout. Naturally, the journalists present were keen to pick his brain.
The fight in question was Jon Jones’ heavyweight division debut against the accomplished Ciryl Gane. At this point in time, Gane’s MMA record was spotless apart from a loss to Francis Ngannou in a Heavyweight title match a year prior. Jones’ record heading into the fight was astounding: 27-1, with the one loss being a DQ all the way back in 2009.
With Jones seen as the underdog heading into the Gane fight, White saw this as an opportunity for him to unquestionably gain GOAT status in the UFC.
“When it looked like it was going to be Francis [Ngannou], Jon Jones was the favourite in that fight. When it switches to Ciryl Gane, Jon Jones is actually the underdog. This is a much better fight for Jon Jones,” White said.
As important as the Gane fight was for Jones to establish himself as a serious heavyweight, White seemingly had his mind already made up when it came to the UFC GOAT discussion. An incredibly flattering comparison to seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady emphasised White’s admiration for ‘Bones’.
“It’s like when Brady left the Patriots and won with the Buccaneers,” laughed White.
“I get it, you wanna hate on Tom Brady, but you can’t anymore. That’s what’s going to happen with Jon Jones if he beats Ciryl Gane.”
It was crucial for Jon Jones to defeat Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 – especially if he wanted to solidify his legacy as one of the all-time greats, let alone the GOAT.
However, from Dana White’s perspective, it was almost irrelevant in that discussion. In his mind, Jones was already there.
“Nobody can deny that Jon Jones is the greatest of all time. He comes in and wins this heavyweight [title], it’s hard to debate if he doesn’t win the fight. He wins this fight, there’s no more talk, there’s no more debate, it is what it is,” White added.
The Brady comparison is an astute one on White’s part. Brady would always go down as one of the all-time greats, but his GOAT status was confirmed when he won the Super Bowl with a different team – the Buccaneers. The Heavyweight Championship was Jones’ Buccaneers.
Already a two-time light heavyweight champion, becoming a two-division champion puts Jones in the same tier as McGregor, St-Pierre, and Pereira. In the end, it took Jones just over two minutes to make Gane submit at UFC 285. And looking at where his legacy stands now, two years on, it’s hard to argue with White’s initial argument.
