Earlier this month at UFC 309, UFC heavyweight star Jon Jones, in his 24th fight under the UFC promotion, successfully defended his heavyweight title against former two-time champion Stipe Miocic in a grueling three-round battle that was one-sided in Jones’ favor from the start. With a spinning backkick, Jones further stamped his dominance, which ultimately led to Miocic’s permanent retirement.

Having already completed 16 years in the promotion, Jones, now 37, is also nearing his own retirement, hinting that he may have only “uno más” or “dos más” fights left in his career. This has left many fans speculating about Jon Jones’ future after retirement. While the next steps remain uncertain, Jones’ long-time coach, Brandon Gibson, recently addressed a question that could place Jon Jones on par with UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Brandon Gibson outlined Jon Jones’ possible retirement plan

Back in 2020, the world of Khabib Nurmagomedov was rocked by the tragic loss of his father, who passed away due to complications from COVID-19. This led Nurmagomedov to retire from MMA and take on the responsibility of leading his father’s martial arts school in Dagestan, where he stepped into his father’s shoes and focused on his new life. While away from the octagon, Khabib continued to guide students and began making his mark in the international MMA scene by coaching his friends and cousins in global promotions.

Jon Jones could follow a similar path, possibly transitioning into a coaching role. With over a decade of experience dominating the sport, Jones is highly qualified to mentor the next generation of fighters. His long-time coach, Brandon Gibson, recently highlighted Jones’ leadership qualities and dedication while speaking to the Inside Fighting YouTube channel about Jones’ next move after UFC 309. Gibson also noted Jones’ collaborations with top wrestling figures, including Olympic champions Joseph Parker, Gordon Ryan, and Gable Steveson.

Gibson predicted, “I think Jon could be a World Championship coach, just like we’ve seen Khabib become. He has a lot of valuable information to share, a lot of great energy to give, and honestly, who better to have in your corner than Jon Jones?” He further concluded, “When the time comes for him to make that full transition, I believe Jon is going to be an incredible coach.” While Jones is currently away from a coaching role, he has already begun influencing the next generation of athletes and encouraging them to start their MMA journey from wrestling.

Gable Steveson discusses a potential MMA transition following his latest stint with Jones

The real reason behind Jon Jones’ impressive performance after a year-long absence can be attributed to voices from his camp, which played a significant role in his lightning-fast victory over Stipe Miocic. One notable contributor is his 24-year-old teammate, Olympic gold medalist and former WWE star Gable Steveson. Despite being much younger than Jones, Steveson’s wrestling skills and knowledge have helped improve Jones’ game.

Following UFC 309, it became clear that Jones’ influence had also inspired Steveson to consider pursuing a career in MMA. Steveson recently reflected on his time in Jones’ camp while speaking with Ariel Helwani, revealing, “After being in that camp with Jon Jones, that definitely put a major spark in me to go out there and do MMA. Not sure about the promotion yet, but Jon definitely lit a fire under me and was like, ‘Hey, I think you should go back to wrestling. I think you should try MMA. We have a great team out here in Albuquerque if you want to join us.”

Can you picture Jon Jones stepping into a coaching role? Could he follow in the footsteps of Khabib Nurmagomedov, whose mentorship has propelled fighters like Islam Makhachev, Belal Muhammad, and Usman Nurmagomedov to dominate their divisions across various promotions? Share your thoughts below!