Khabib Nurmagomedov: Jon Jones’ ‘prime was clearly behind him’ before heavyweight run

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen v Nurmagomedov — Khabib Nurmagomedov | Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Khabib Nurmagomedov believes we saw the best of Jon Jones some time ago.

Jones announced his retirement from competition this past June—an announcement he’s already walking back in anticipation of a possible spot on a planned UFC White House card in July 2026—and the news was met with a mixed response despite his impressive accomplishments, including disdain from some fans unsatisfied with the circumstances around his departure.

For over a year, Jones had been tied to a potential bout with Tom Aspinall, with the expectation Jones would fight to unify his undisputed heavyweight title with Aspinall’s interim title. Both men successfully defended their respective belts in 2024, but a matchup between them never came to fruition.

Nurmagomedov praised Jones as “the best fighter in UFC history,” but thinks he picked the right time to walk away from competition.

“I mean, he’s, like, 38 now,” Nurmagomedov said in Russian (interview and English translation via Hustle Show). “But no, he’s been gone for a while. Let’s be honest. How many fights has he had in the last five years? One? One or two in five years. He’s been done for a while, and even those last [light heavyweight] fights—[Thiago] Santos and [Dominick] Reyes—they were controversial. You know, kind of, his prime was clearly behind him. Then he fought Ciryl Gane. I think they just gave him the money. That’s it. Everyone has their prime and his was long past.

“So whether or not he should’ve fought Aspinall, that question will probably always be out there. But that’s one question. Another is when Aspinall completes his career and Jon Jones finishes his only then will people understand their levels. Then we’ll really be able to compare. For Aspinall to reach Jones’ level, his legacy, that’ll be extremely hard. Very difficult.”

Jones owns one of the most impressive résumés in the history of combat sports, having never truly lost in 30 pro bouts and having reigned as the best light heavyweight in the world from 2011-2020. He became heavyweight champion in 2023 with a dominant submission win over Gane, then went on to successfully defend the title against future Hall of Fame inductee Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, which marked Jones’ last appearance to date.

Critics of Jones point to his misdeeds that brought a premature end to his title runs, including his involvement in a 2015 hit-and-run that saw him stripped of his UFC belt, plus suspensions for failed drug tests in 2016 and 2018, the latter of which prevented him from regaining the light heavyweight title after knocking out Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 (the result of that bout was subsequently overturned to a no-contest).

Nurmagomedov agrees Jones’ legacy is complicated.

“It’s really hard to compare anyone to Jon Jones,” Nurmagomedov said. “And I don’t know why people reacted the way they did. As a fighter, I never had questions about him.”

“No, in the UFC, achievements and legacy are different things,” he added. “I think a lot of people confuse those two concepts. As far as achievements go, no one can compare to Jon Jones in the UFC right now. And it’ll be very hard for anyone in the near future. So what is legacy? It’s when, let’s say, kids, they look at you, and they feel inspired by you. That’s what legacy means. When they try to imitate you. When a kid sees you and thinks, ‘I want to be like him.’ … There have always been and always will be questions about [Jones’] behavior, his character, and so on. But we’re not talking about that now, we’re talking about his greatness as a fighter. As a fighter, he’s the best.

“As a person—in terms of inspiration, character—when it comes to personal qualities, I think there will always be questions, always. But I don’t want to ask those questions, because I don’t want to judge him, to say he’s good or bad. As an athlete, he reached greatness. And to me, as someone who also fought in the UFC, he has no equal. There will always be questions about doping, whether he was caught or not. And yes, he was caught. It’s a fact, what, like three times? But as a fighter, he’s an amazing fighter.”

Appraising his fellow GOAT candidate has always been a tricky proposition for Nurmagomedov, a longtime training partner and close friend of Cormier, Jones’ greatest rival. But Nurmagomedov says he and Cormier have always had respect for what “Bones” has done inside the octagon.

“As for personal relationships, my friend always clashed with him, there was always tension, so I couldn’t have a close relationship with [Jones],” Nurmagomedov said. “And I never did, and never planned to because I always took Cormier’s side. But when we talked about pure skills—me and Cormier—I know that Cormier himself holds Jon Jones’ fighting skills in high regard.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov: Jon Jones’ ‘prime was clearly behind him’ before heavyweight run

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