Khabib Nurmagomedov believes that Jon Jones' decision to retire was the right one.
'The Eagle' withdrew to the top of his game after choking Justin Gaethje on UFC 254 in October 2020.
No other UFC hunter has ever succeeded in walking away with a perfect record such as Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Jon Jones, whose only loss came through a controversial DQ in a fight he dominated, seemed to have repeated the performance when he announced his MMA pension last month.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Khabib Nurmagomedov responds to Jon Jones Retirement Drama
Jon Jones was quickly reversed about his pension decision when it was revealed that the UFC will hold an event in the White House in July 2026.
Khabib Nurmagomedov recently suggested that the greatest hunter of all time should have kept the consensus all time on his retirement.
The former UFC Lightweight Champion believes that Jones is over the hill and has been for several years.
“I mean, he is now 38,” Nurmagomedov said when he was asked about Jones who retired in the bustle.
“But no, he's been away for a while. Let's be honest. How many fights have he had in the last five years?
“One or two in the last five years. He has been ready for a while. Even the latter [light heavyweight] To fight – [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 his prime, and his his was long gone.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov clarifies the relationship between Jon Jones
Khabib Nurmagomedov supported Jon Jones with a sincere message immediately after he announced his UFC pension.
For many it came as a surprise because of the strong friendship of the Russian icon with the greatest rival of Jones, Daniel Cormier.
Nurmagomedov cleared up the confusion when he was asked to explain his relationship with 'bones'.
“We are not friends,” he clarified before he spoke about his respect for Jones as a athlete.
Nurmagomedov added: “It is really difficult to compare everyone with Jon Jones.
“As a hunter I have never had any questions about him. He is a great hunter. Nobody can deny that.
“As we said earlier, performance and figures speak for themselves.”