Khabib Nurmagomedov believes that Jon Jones’ decision to retire was the right one.
‘The Eagle’ retired at the top of his game after choking out Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020.
No other UFC fighter has ever managed to walk away with a perfect record like Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Jon Jones, whose only loss came via a controversial DQ in a fight he was dominating, seemed to have essentially repeated the feat when he announced his MMA retirement last month.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCKhabib Nurmagomedov reacts to Jon Jones retirement drama
Jon Jones quickly U-turned on his retirement decision when it was revealed that the UFC is going to hold an event at the White House in July 2026.
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently suggested that the consensus greatest fighter of all time should’ve stuck to his retirement.
The former UFC lightweight champion believes Jones is over the hill and has been for several years.
“I mean, he’s like 38 now,” Nurmagomedov said when asked about Jones retiring on the 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 or two in the last five years. He’s been done for a while. Even those last [light heavyweight] fights – [Thiago] Santos and [Dominick] Reyes – they were controversial.
“You know, 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.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov clarifies Jon Jones relationship
Khabib Nurmagomedov supported Jon Jones with a heartfelt message immediately after he announced his UFC retirement.
It came as a surprise to many due to the Russian icon’s strong friendship with Jones’ greatest rival, Daniel Cormier.
Nurmagomedov cleared up the confusion when asked to explain his relationship with ‘Bones’.
“We’re not friends,” he clarified, before speaking about his respect for Jones as an athlete.
Nurmagomedov added: “It’s really hard to compare anyone to Jon Jones.
“As a fighter, I never had questions about him. He’s a great fighter. No one can deny that.
“Like we said earlier, achievements and numbers speak for themselves.”