Jon Jones knows that if he loses to Stipe Miocic at UFC 390, the MMA community won’t let him hear the end of it. From keeping fans waiting by teasing a heavyweight fight against Francis Ngannou when the latter became the UFC heavyweight champion, to finally making the move when he left and refusing to fight Tom Aspinall, who is largely considered the best guy in the division – one slip on November 16th, and it could all come crashing down on ‘Bones’. Add to that, his ouster from Jackson Wink MMA in 2021 pushed the champ further into a box. However, Jon Jones had an ace up his sleeve when he teamed up with some of the greatest athletes from their domains, including head coach Greg Jackson, to leave no stone unturned in his preparation for Stipe Miocic.

To have his wrestling taken care of, Jones employed Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson – a formidable folk style wrestler with multiple accolades, including two NCAA Division-1 championship wins, three All-American championship wins, and Dan Hodgkins Trophy winner. Steveson also had a short stint has a WWE wrestler between 2021 and 2024. To take care of his grappling, Jon Jones got multiple-time IBJJF, EBI and ADCC champion Gordon Ryan, widely considered as the greatest No-Gi grappler of all time. The pair first linked up in Jon Jones preparation for Stipe Miocic at UFC 295, and have maintained a close relationship ever since.

This collaboration with the best grapplers in each domain, showcases Jones’ commitment to quality training. If the UFC 309 fight is indeed going to be Jon Jones’ last dance inside the Octagon, why wouldn’t he employ the best practitioners to be a part of his camp? Regardless of Jones slipping and sliding with the whole Tom Aspinall situation, or even his out-of-fighting antics, we have to commend the level of preparation and attention to detail Jones employs when preparing for a fight.

However, the three being the best in their respective domains is not the only common thing the trio have got in common. Jon Jones, Gable Steveson and Gordon Ryan have found themselves in the heat of controversies at some point in their careers. In a sport like Jiu-Jitsu, where testing for PEDs is not that common, Gordon Ryan has been accused of using them by many from within the BJJ community itself. On the other hand, Gable Steveson found himself on the receiving end of heinous accusations back in 2019, and although he didn’t face criminal charges due to a lack of evidence, he was suspended by his team. Fans were quick to the note the similarities between Jon Jones and Gordon Ryan and had a field day in the comments section.

Fans mock the news of Gordon Ryan staying in the corner of Jon Jones at UFC 309

Jon Jones’ longtime jiu-jitsu coach Roberto “Tussa” Alencar told MMA Fighting that he will not be in ‘Bones’ corner – “I’m stepping down from the corner, but Gordon will be there for the work he’s done with Jon,”. The team is confident that Ryan will have all grounds covered with Jones’ grappling, however, a dedicated section of Ryan-haters aren’t quite willing to see him at Madison Square Garden.

Although Ryan has never been officially penalized for. alleged PED use, he is a brash figure within the community, and not one to shy away from confrontations, both off line and online. His behaviour has definitely many members of the BJJ community, with some viewing him as divisive. “Just being in that corners near vicinity is gonna make you test positive”, said one fan alluding to the allegations of PED use by both Jones and Ryan. Jones is poised as the fighter to win, by members of the fight community and experts, however, Jones has cultivated a healthy group of haters dedicated to rooting against him – “Boooo we want jones to lose”

Both Jones and Ryan are two legends of the sport but they have had their share of problems outside of it. One user chose to double down on the unfortunate similarities between the two and commented, “Cheats recognize cheats”. Echoing similar sentiments, one comment read, “The 2 goats of dodging PED tests”, while another posted, “Birds of a feather”. The most hilarious quip came from a user who alluded to the ‘picograms controversy’ Jones found himself in before fighting Alexander Gustafsson, resulting in a whole card being shifted from Nevada to Los Angeles – “I got the picograms from Gordon Ryan’s sweat when I grappled with him. Honest.”

One user alluded to Gordon Ryan’s outspoken political views. The No-Gi grappling GOAT is an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, and an ardent critic of the Democratic party – “So your just gonna shout about politics in his corner great idea”

Ultimately, these comments mix humor and criticism, reflecting fans’ fascination and skepticism about their collaboration. However, one cannot deny that Jones might just have an advantage walking into the fight with Stipe Miocic. During his UFC 306 presence, the 37-year-old made it clear that this would be his last fight. Will he possibly retires will he retire as a champion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.