Jon Jones Backs Islam Makhachev as UFC 330 Favorite, Names Him Among the Sport’s GOATs 

It has long been a staple of MMA debate whenever experts and fans are asked to name the greatest UFC fighter of all time. More often than not, they point to Jon Jones, and his resume certainly supports the claim. Despite the controversies that have followed him outside the Octagon, Jones’ accomplishments inside the cage remain unmatched. His dominance has spanned more than a decade and two weight classes, during which he defeated multiple generations of elite competition.

Perhaps most remarkably, Jones has never been decisively beaten inside the Octagon. His lone professional loss came via a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009 for illegal 12-to-6 elbows, despite controlling the contest from start to finish. With a professional record of 28-1 (1 NC), Jones holds the UFC record for the most title-fight victories with 16. He also remains the youngest champion in UFC history, having captured the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old when he dismantled Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 in 2011.

At 205 pounds, Jones established another historic benchmark with 11 consecutive title defenses and spent an astonishing 1,743 days ranked as the UFC’s pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter. What truly separates ‘Bones’ from many of his contemporaries, however, is the quality of opposition he defeated. Throughout his career, Jones has beaten eight former or future undisputed UFC champions, including Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira, and longtime rival Daniel Cormier.

ALSO READ: UFC Freedom 250 Hits 34 Million Viewers Globally as International Numbers Continue to Roll In

He later carried that success into the heavyweight division, adding former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic to his list of marquee victories and further strengthening his claim as one of the most accomplished fighters in MMA history. Given those credentials, receiving praise from Jones himself carries significant weight. 

That is exactly the position Islam Makhachev now finds himself in after the former UFC heavyweight champion recently included the Dagestani among the sport’s all-time greats. For the unversed, Jones is currently in Russia to co-host the IBA Bare Knuckle 5 tournament in Moscow and take part in face-to-face negotiations regarding a potential crossover boxing debut. 

Earlier this year, he also signed a high-profile ambassador agreement with the International Boxing Association (IBA) amid ongoing contractual tensions with the UFC. During his arrival in Russia, Jones was asked by a journalist for his prediction on Makhachev’s upcoming UFC 330 title defense against Ian Garry. The American picked Makhachev as the favorite and went a step further by placing him in the GOAT conversation alongside himself.

He said, “I am going with Islam because he has a wrestling background, and it’s very hard to beat wrestlers, so Islam. He may just be one of the greatest fighters in the world right now. It’s me, maybe him, so I encourage him to keep going.”

Jon Jones calls Islam Makhachev a GOAT alongside himself and backs him to beat Ian Garry 🔥🔥

“I’m going with Islam because he has a wrestling background, and it’s very hard to beat wrestlers.

Islam may just be one of the greatest fighters in the world. Right now, it’s me and… pic.twitter.com/HiZd4Jzns5

— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 27, 2026

It is certainly high praise, though hardly a surprising assessment given what Makhachev has accomplished throughout his career. Sporting an exceptional professional record of 28-1, the Dagestani star is currently riding a 16-fight UFC winning streak, tying Anderson Silva for the longest unbeaten run in promotional history.

Makhachev further cemented his legacy by becoming a two-division UFC champion when he captured the welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 last year. Before moving up, he had already established himself as the most dominant lightweight of his era, setting the record for the most successful title defenses in UFC lightweight history with four. Those defenses came against elite opposition, including Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano.

Beyond the accolades, Makhachev’s statistical profile places him among the most efficient fighters ever to compete in the Octagon. He boasts an outstanding 59.5% significant striking accuracy while defending 91% of opponents’ takedown attempts. On the offensive side, he averages 3.10 takedowns per 15 minutes at a 56% success rate, routinely neutralizing world-class opponents through relentless pressure and suffocating control.

When combined with his championship success across two weight classes and his sustained dominance against elite competition, Makhachev’s resume leaves little doubt that he belongs firmly in the conversation among the greatest fighters in UFC history.