Jon Jones heaps praise on fellow ex-UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov: 'I appreciate his existence'

Jon Jones is a fan of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s character.

Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) included Nurmagomedov in his top five all-time best fighters, but praised him beyond his fighting ability.

The former light heavyweight king spoke highly of Nurmagomedov as a person, as well as his actions outside of the octagon.

“I love what Khabib represents,” Jones told RMC France. “We’ve had our differences in the past. I’ve made some quotes about him. But there’s never really been a real beef. I love the way he carries himself as a Muslim. I love the way he represents his country. I love the businessman that he is. He just seems like a stand-up guy. He gives back to others. He’s a stand-up guy. He’s an admirable man. I appreciate his existence.”

It appears Jones has changed his tune over the years. The differences Jones is referring to is when he dismissed the notion the undefeated Nurmagomedov is the greatest of all time. Jones said Nurmagomedov only started fighting elite-level competition late in his career. Before he retired in October 2020, Nurmagomedov’s final three wins came with finishes of Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje in title fights.

Jones returns from a layoff of more than three years when he meets Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title in the UFC 285 headliner March 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. If victorious, “Bones” thinks that will cement him as the greatest fighter of all time.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.