UFC fighters often hit phases where they look nigh unbeatable! During these peaks, they seem like they’ve entered a different league and dominate every opponent with ease. Over the years, we have seen fighters evolve into the best versions of themselves and run through the division. Remember Conor McGregor’s magic version when he pummeled Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205? The promotion even released a custom character in the UFC 5 video game with maxed-out abilities hitting 100! Or peak GSP? The French-Canadian took D1 wrestlers and killers and made them look like amateurs. But the real challenge is not attaining the peak but staying there! And it seems that this tenet gets justice when we take Jon Jones and Valentina Shevchenko into consideration.

The two juggernauts stand out as prime examples who are still at the pinnacle of their abilities even after years of ruling the Octagon. Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at just 23 when he beat Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 to claim the 205lbs title. After that ‘Bones’ dominated legends like Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, and even Daniel Cormier while still being in his 20s. Although he had to go on a hiatus now and then, he was always better when he eventually returned with zero signs of ring rust. This was evident when he captured the heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 after spending three years to move to 265lbs.

On the other hand, Valentina Shevchenko also found gold at 30 by defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231. Moreover, many claim that she beat Amanda Nunes in their rematch. From there, she went on a dominant run in the women’s flyweight division. The only difference? Alexa Grasso became her bane. But ‘Bullet’ ultimately dealt with her in their trilogy while being 36 years old! This incredible feat has impressed verbose analyst Chael Sonnen. ‘The Bad Guy’ praised both ‘Bones’ and ‘Bullet’ for still looking phenomenal even when they are both approaching 40. Sonnen pointed out that Jones looked like the best version of himself in his most recent fight against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. The Oregon native also gave credit to Shevchenko for overcoming Grasso in their trilogy, who is six years younger than her.

On the Good Guy / Bad Guy podcast, Daniel Cormier sparked the discussion by saying, “Jon Jones and Valentina Shevchenko are 37, Chael. They still have so much time to fight—if they want to fight.” To which, Sonnen responded, “And maybe, by the way, looking their best. Jon Jones might have looked his best against Stipe. That one got dismissed because Stipe was over 40 but that might have been the meanest version of Jon Jones. Shevchenko, who went right through Grasso who had beaten her before might also be at her best. That’s worth mentioning.”

What Sonnen said is true. ‘Bones’ did look better than ever at MSG last year. However, he dismantled a 42-year-old Miocic who was clearly on his last legs and even retired after the fight. This wasn’t the version of the heavyweight GOAT that fought Cormier at UFC 226 or even Francis Ngannou at UFC 220. This firefighter was clearly out of commission after being away from the sport for nearly 4 years. However. Jones must be given credit for his dominance nonetheless.

Age is indeed just a number! But in MMA, it gets tricky. Heavier weight classes tend to allow fighters to stay competitive into their early to mid-thirties. But, that rarely happens in the lower divisions. Around the mid-thirties, many fighters start to experience a decline in performance. Athleticism fades, hormone levels drop, reflexes slow down, and recovery from injuries takes much longer. Still, fighters like Jones and  Shevchenko have defied the odds many times.

They’ve maintained elite performance levels despite their age, which is nothing short of remarkable. Recently, Alexander Volkanovski also proudly joined that elite list and became the first male fighter aged 35 or older to win a UFC title fight in any division below 155lbs. It’s also important to note that these fighters have some of the highest fight IQs in the UFC, especially Jones. The New Mexico native has long been the measuring unit for others when it comes to tactically and technically dissecting a fight.

But have you ever wondered who might be second? According to UFC 314 co-main event winner Paddy Pimblett, the answer is simple. It’s himself! Pimblett recently claimed that his fight IQ is second only to the GOAT, Jon Jones.

Paddy Pimblett believes he has the second-best fight IQ behind Jon Jones

It’s no secret that Jon Jones’ greatest weapon has always been his mind. His fight IQ, paired with his physical gifts, sets him apart from the rest of the roster. ‘Bones’ famously used elbows like jabs, it’s an approach rarely seen in the UFC. Many fans and analysts believe Alexander Volkanovski holds the second-highest fight IQ in the sport. But after his dominant win over Michael Chandler at UFC 314, Paddy Pimblett has a different take.

‘The Baddy’ at the UFC 314 press conference said, “I smelt blood in the water, and I’ve got the proper killer instinct, but the one thing I did do is I obviously ran at him and started putting it on him and then, we’d spoken about it beforehand, a wounded animal is the most dangerous one, and you’ve seen it with Chandler before. Yeah, I think I’ve got the best fight IQ in the game other than Jon Jones, I’ve got the best fight IQ in the game, I don’t think anyone’s got a better fight IQ than me and I couldn’t wait to throw a 12-6 elbow.”

What do you think of Chael Sonnen’s views? Please comment below.