They say a lion doesn’t need to roar to remind the jungle who’s king, and Jon Jones is proving that yet again. The UFC heavyweight champion, who has faced more battles outside the octagon than in it recently, is making his long-awaited return at UFC 309 against Stipe Miočić at Madison Square Garden. This bout, which was supposed to electrify fans last November, had to be postponed due to an injury, leaving the MMA world on edge, waiting for Jones to reclaim his throne.

But before stepping back into the cage, Jones showed a different side of his fierce persona—a proud dad enjoying precious moments with his family. His latest Instagram post captured him with his wife and three daughters, captioned with a heartwarming “proud dad moment.”

However, what set the internet on fire wasn’t just the family photo, but a playful challenge from swimming legend Michael Phelps. The greatest Olympian of all time spotted Jones near a swimming pool and couldn’t resist proposing a different kind of showdown. “Can we do laps??” Phelps joked. Jones, never one to shy away from a challenge, fired back enthusiastically, “Hell yeah, we can! I’d still love it if you came down, bro. Or like I said, I’ll come to you.”

It looks like before Jones goes head-to-head with Miočić, we might just see him take on Phelps in a splashy duel—proving that whether in the water or the octagon, Jon Jones is always game for a battle.

‘The Baltimore Bullet’ is now enjoying retirement after stepping away from competitive swimming following the 2016 Olympics, where he left an incredible legacy with 28 medals, 23 of them gold. Since his retirement, he has shifted his focus to coaching and philanthropy, inspiring the next generation to strive to become the next G.O.A.T. of the swimming pool. However, this isn’t the first time Jon Jones has received challenges from competitors outside the UFC. Previously, he was once called out by an NBA athlete as well. Let’s delve further into who that unlucky NBA star is.

This NBA player thinks he can defeat Jon Jones

Jon Jones’ undefeated status has become a sore point for various opponents, and it’s not just limited to the MMA world. Even outside of MMA, people like 7-foot NBA star Ryan Hollins, who is now retired and looking for new challenges, have targeted him. Hollins recently stirred the pot by claiming he could defeat Jones if he spent a year training in wrestling.

In a recent episode of the NBA Rookie Life show, Hollins said, “I think I could beat him for real. “I rock with Jones. I would need a year. My standup game is great but what we all know about Jones is he’s a collegiate wrestler – really good on the ground and that’s not my forte.”I think I could beat him, for real. But like I said with a year of training defence. I just need ground defense.”

What are your thoughts on the newly brewing friendship between two GOATs in their fields, Michael Phelps and Jon Jones? Do you think they should compete in a swimming tournament, even if it’s just for charity? It would surely break all records. Drop your comments below.