Javier Mendez has expressed that Jon Jones should be excluded from the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) debate due to his controversial history. Despite many viewing the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion as the top fighter in MMA history, Mendez feels that Jones’ past taints his legacy.
A recent Bloody Elbow poll conducted during TalkingPoints had fans ranking Jones above Georges St-Pierre as the GOAT, with St-Pierre in second place, followed by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Demetrius Johnson. However, Mendez believes Khabib deserves a higher spot than third, feeling that the controversies surrounding Jones justify placing Khabib above him.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired in 2020 after defeating Justin Gaethje, ended his career undefeated at 29-0 with three successful UFC lightweight title defenses. While some argue it’s too soon to consider Khabib a strong GOAT contender, Mendez confidently supports his claim. During an interview with Ahmad Mahmoud Shaw of the American Kickboxing Academy, Mendez cited Jones’ failed drug tests as a reason to discount him from the conversation, stating, “If you’re caught doing something you shouldn’t be doing, how can you be considered at the top of the league? This is a real sport, and in real sports you can’t put that person ahead of you.” He likened it to Olympic athletes who have had their medals stripped for cheating.
Looking ahead, Mendez and Khabib are aiming to elevate another Nurmagomedov—Khabib’s cousin Usman—into GOAT discussions. Usman recently defended his lightweight title by submitting Alfie Davies at a PFL event in Dubai. Khabib expressed his ambition to see Usman become the best pound-for-pound fighter and possibly the greatest ever, highlighting the hard work and dedication from their team to reach that goal.
Fan Take: This dialogue highlights the ongoing debate about what truly defines greatness in MMA—is it talent and achievement alone, or does character and integrity weigh heavily? For fight fans, Mendez’s stance brings fresh perspective to the GOAT conversation and signals a possible new era with younger Nurmagomedovs aiming to leave an indelible mark on the sport’s history.
