Jon Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, recently spoke about his admiration for Israel Adesanya, the current UFC middleweight champion. Despite their personal differences, Jones praised Adesanya’s fighting skills and named him as his favorite fighter.
In a recent Q&A session with Sporting News, Jon Jones was asked about his thoughts on Israel Adesanya, with whom he has had a public feud. Jones responded by praising Adesanya’s fighting skills and acknowledging his status as one of the best fighters in the UFC.
Jon Jones name drops Israel Adesanya
Jones stated that he has a lot of respect for Adesanya’s striking abilities and his ability to adapt to different opponents. He also praised Adesanya’s mental toughness and his ability to handle pressure in high-stakes fights. Jones went on to say that despite their personal differences, he considers Adesanya to be one of his favorite fighters. Jones said, “In the UFC, my favourite fighter right now, I hate to admit it, I hate to admit it, but I would say Israel Adesanya.”
Adesanya has quickly become one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, thanks to his impressive record of 24 wins and 2 losses, as well as his charismatic personality and unique fighting style. Adesanya’s most notable victories include those against Robert Whittaker, Kelvin Gastelum, and Anderson Silva.
Jones, on the other hand, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, with a record of 27 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no contest. ‘Bones’ has faced and defeated some of the biggest names in the sport, including Daniel Cormier, Alexander Gustafsson, and Rampage Jackson. However, Jones bewildered the world with his monumental victory against Cyril Gane. He clinched the heavyweight title on his very first fight in this division. The UFC 285 victory was specifically spectacular as Jones returned after a long break.
Jones and Adesanya have a history
This praise from Jones is significant, as the two fighters have had a public feud that has played out on social media and in interviews. In the lead-up to Adesanya’s fight against Paulo Costa, Jones criticized Adesanya’s fighting style and accused him of being a “fake” champion. Adesanya responded by calling Jones a “jealous old man” and questioning his legacy in the sport.
Despite this animosity, Jones’ recent comments suggest that he has a newfound respect for Adesanya’s skills and accomplishments. This could potentially pave the way for a future fight between the two fighters, which would undoubtedly be one of the biggest events in UFC history. Jones admitted that him and Adesanya are not friends by any means. However, he will give respect where it is due.
Jones’ praise for Israel Adesanya despite their personal differences is a testament to Adesanya’s skills and accomplishments in the UFC. Adesanya finally defeated his arch-nemesis Alex Pereira. ‘The last stylebender’ definitely impressed Jones on this occasion as well. In fact, Jones lauded their entire dynamic. The heavyweight champion found this arc to be the most entertaining of recent times. However, Jones does not see any chance of them locking horns. He thinks the time has passed.
Do you think they should face off in the future?
