Jon Jones had an overrated legacy.

[Will G]

The debate over the legitimacy of Jones' legacy will continue among MMA fans for all time, I think, for numerous reasons.

The take that he's basically a fraud because he didn't fight his entire career at HW is one that doesn't necessarily seem to sparkle with intelligence.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Should be..

0 - 1 - 27

Not overrated. It just doesn’t exist to me.

 

[KnowIsTheGo]

I am one of the biggest Jones haters due to him kicking Machinda's ass but No, you are so wrong. Jones was a beast and is likely still a beast. I am also a Silva hater but the guy also was a beast. Both are legends and among the greatest in MMA

 

[Axe720]

His 2011 is arguably the greatest year a fighter has ever had. Outgrappled and subbed undefeated Bader, then the next month demolished Shogun for the belt. Choked out Rampage and Machida later in the year.

 

[KnowIsTheGo]

It’s quite the opposite. No one has a fight record like Jones. He destroyed so many former champs. Several in spectacular fashion.

It’s the chemical enhancement that tarnishes his legacy.

You can likely claim everyone's on PED's especially the top fighters like Diaz says. So was he really cheating if he was? Probably he wanted to even the playing field if he was.

 

[KnowIsTheGo]

He’s undefeated & he has like 13 title defenses. He’s the GOAT by a long shot

Wrong, Hamill would like a word with you, well not an actual word.

 

[Kb7]

I'll take the over if it isn't sent into the stratosphere.

I was actually implying white belts need at least 100posts before creating threads.

 

[chs140]

He has good wins, but the thing is he would have probably ran up 6 or 8 losses without the steroids. It's really hard to compare someone who's steroided to the gills vs clean opponents. For instance, if he ever fought DC clean that's a sure loss.

Lol. No he wouldn't have.
And just assuming everyone was clean but him is.... silly to say the least.

 

[Last Falconry]

"I always assume that every fighter is clean except guys I hate" is a staple of the dumb mma fan that is as old as the sport itself. Doesn't mean it still isn't funny when it pops up from time to time

 

[Carsormyr]

I was actually implying white belts need at least 100posts before creating threads.

Nah, that's way too easy. Restrict it to accounts that are 1 year or older.

 

[Hdfi]

he wouldn't stay on top for so long if he wasn't good.

 

[markg171]

For instance, if he ever fought DC clean that's a sure loss.

Weird. I just checked UFC 182 again, and sure enough Jones beat DC there too.

And again at their UFC 178's press conference brawl.

You must be confused about their history.

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

His 2011 is arguably the greatest year a fighter has ever had. Outgrappled and subbed undefeated Bader, then the next month demolished Shogun for the belt. Choked out Rampage and Machida later in the year.

Ts wasn’t impressed

 

[Raptors2019]

Jon Jones was the most dominant champ that ever existed.

 

[BreatheSherBro]

I think he has a mostly properly rated legacy. He's seen as the best of his era, and also as someone who cheated a lot and did dumb shit that hurt their career.

Also, just a side note, but I think MMA as a sport is too young for GOAT discussions to really be worth having. Jones was the best light heavyweight of his era, but someone will eventually pass him.

 

[NoSmilez]

How the hell is Jones overrated?

 

[Luthien]

13 years undefeated

 

[Edward Henry Greb]

For real

• Fought washed-up LHWs he had a significant size advantage on
• Debated he lost to the first LHW that was his own size (Gus)
• Lost to Reyes and arguably even Santos

It is no mystery he is too scared to fight at HW and ran away from the UFC after the Reyes fight. Too scared to fight at HW his whole career when he had the size for it because the Gus fight exposed that he cut weight for the size advantage, would have gotten eaten alive at HW.

The most overrated MMA fighter of all time.

Although I think Jon Jones is a great fighter, I do believe his "GOAT" status is overrated, for precisely the reasons you suggest.

I agree with bullet points 1 and 2, but I think he beat Reyes ... who "just tried to survive" the last 2 rounds.

 

[OneOfOne]

Nah, Jones has a great resume

 

[The Schmoop]

You can likely claim everyone's on PED's especially the top fighters like Diaz says. So was he really cheating if he was? Probably he wanted to even the playing field if he was.

Not really. Jon himself provided the evidence that he was on steroids on multiple occasion and continually having trace amounts. There is no speculation about Jones and steroids.