UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping believes Jon Jones should hold the title for both best pound-for-pound fighter and No. 1 period.
Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC), a former UFC light heavyweight champion, has never lost outside of a disqualification in a December 2009 fight he was dominating. Jones defended his 205-pound title 11 times overall before deciding to relinquish his belt.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski retained his spot as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter despite losing to lightweight champ Islam Makhachev in a valiant effort at UFC 284, but Bisping doesn’t agree with the rankings.
“That title belongs to a man that returns next week to the octagon,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “And yes, of course, I’m talking about Jonny ‘Bones’ Jones. OK, he’s been out of action for a while, three years away from the octagon. We know this, OK, but that’s the guy.
“Jon Jones, when you look at what he’s done, when you look at the people he’s beaten, when you look at the way that he’s beat them at their own game a lot of the time, you can’t deny the man.”
Jones will look to become a two-weight champion when he takes on Ciryl Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) for the vacant heavyweight belt in the UFC 285 headliner on March 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Not only does Bisping think Jones is pound-for-pound No. 1, but he’s arguably the greatest of all time.
“When you look at the body of work, the people that he’s beaten, legend after legend, champion after champion, the No. 1 guy pound-for-pound has got to be Jonny ‘Bones’ Jones,” Bisping said. “The greatest of all time. And I know, once again, Islam fans, Khabib fans are gonna come after me. Georges St-Pierre fans are, Anderson Silva’s fans are. But I’m sorry – Anderson Silva, he’s definitely up there. But still, Jon Jones, the resume, the people that he’s beaten, can’t deny it.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.
