UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has undeniably established himself as one of the “greatest mixed martial artists” in history, but does his wrestling live up to the same praise? ‘Bones’ story reads like a Hollywood biography, beginning in his pastor’s home and progressing to the mats at Iowa Central Community College. He made a name for himself by winning the NJCAA Wrestling National Championship. His journey continued as he transitioned into professional MMA, becoming the youngest fighter to capture a UFC belt.

Now, more than a decade later, Jones sits atop the UFC with basically an undefeated record. However, when it comes to his wrestling, not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. Wrestling legend and former Olympian Vugar Orudzhev recently offered a critical perspective on ‘Bones’ wrestling technique. Speaking with the Russian outlet Ushatyak, Orudzhev commented, “His functionality wasn’t about technique—it was more like he just jumped on the leg, and that was it. He’d keep going. Now, there’s big money in the sport, so maybe he stopped smoking, probably for six months, but he fought well. We watched his fights.”

Orudzhev further reflected on Jones’ infamous moment at UFC 197, where he taunted Daniel Cormier and others by flashing his fingers following his victory over Ovince Saint Preux. Commenting on ‘Bones’ overall development, Orudzhev noted, “In his last fight, you could see how tall and mature he had become. The guy was waving his hands and showing his fingers to everyone. But his wrestling technique wasn’t great. It was average.”

Nevertheless, despite Jones’ wrestling not being considered top-tier by some, it has seamlessly integrated into his MMA career. According to his brother Arthur Jones, Jon wasn’t initially a natural athlete. However, driven by a relentless “hard worker” mentality, he dedicated himself to improving and eventually reached the top of the sport.

The consensus MMA GOAT himself credits his success to his work ethic, which helped him rise to a level where he is regarded as one of the best fighters on the planet. Even though his wrestling didn’t impress the former Olympian, Joe Rogan still recognizes ‘Bones’ as the “greatest” of all time.

Jon Jones responds to Joe Rogan’s praise

In late October 2024, UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan made a splash by inviting POTUS Donald Trump onto his podcast ahead of the 2024 November election. And soon the discussion turned to MMA with Trump asking Rogan who he considered the greatest fighter of all time.

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Jon Jones himself said in multiple interviews that he was mid in every combat sport he trained. You’re a casual...more

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Rogan shared his thoughts, stating, “There are a lot of arguments for who’s the greatest of all time. Jon Jones, most people would say, is the greatest of all time. Never lost. There’s certainly a very good argument for that. There’s another argument for Georges St-Pierre. I always believe in BJ Penn in his prime.” Alongside these legends, Rogan also mentioned Anderson Silva and Demetrious Johnson. When Jones heard his name mentioned in such an elite company, he couldn’t help but respond with a simple yet powerful one-liner: “What a time to be alive.”

Now, turning to the topic of Orudzhev’s comments regarding Jon Jones, do you think ‘Bones’ wrestling skills fall short of what fans expect from NCAA champions? Considering the man has firmly etched his name in MMA history. What’s your take on this?