UFC releases new promo declaring Jon Jones the ‘GOAT’, Dana White reacts

Jon Jones is the greatest fighter of all-time, at least so says the UFC.

On Tuesday night, during the latest episode of Contender Series, the world’s leading MMA promotion unveiled a new trailer, not promoting their next pay-per-view or event, but one strictly promoting heavyweight champion Jon Jones as the greatest fighter to ever compete in MMA.

The video shows a number of Jones’s best career highlights, interspersed with his impressive statistical accomplishments — including 15 championship wins, eight wins over UFC champions, most wins in UFC light heavyweight history (20), among others — all with voiceover from Dana White, Jon Anik, and others proclaiming Jones to be the greatest fighter in history.

The video is the latest salvo from White, who recently became somewhat of a meme for his repeated insistence that Jones is the greatest ever and his ire at the fact Jones is not the current top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC’s own rankings. Over the past several weeks, White’s argued with reporters over the meaning of “pound-for-pound” and Jones’s place on the current list. White even previously promised he had something prepared for those who disagreed with him, so during the Contender Series post-fight press conference on Tuesday evening, he had a smug response for those in attendance.

“Did you guys read the stats?” White said. “He recently just beat the No. 1 heavyweight in the world. I hope you guys read that stat. You know what is f*cking great about technology? We’re not far away from A.I. actually doing these rankings and it will be a great f*cking day when A.I. starts doing this shit. So I’m really excited about that.”

Jones is currently ranked No. 3 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings and No. 8 in the MMA Fighting Global pound-for-pound rankings. He most recently competed back at UFC 285 in March 2023, when he submitted Ciryl Gane in just over two minutes to claim the vacant heavyweight title. Though not yet official, Jones is expected to defend his belt against former champion Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 which takes place on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.