UFC legends Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev have traded some brutal shots over doping, winning streaks and who really deserves to be called the greatest fighter of all time. It started after Makhachev questioned whether Jones' famous unbeaten run should even count because of his history with drug testing. "I'm not denying that Jon Jones is one of the greatest athletes in history," Makhachev said.
"But he was caught doping twice, and I think that's why his streak isn't considered valid." Makhachev argued that the count should have restarted when Jones fought while having a banned substance in his system. Jon, I'm not trying to diminish your achievements in any way. But your whole life seems to be tied to breaking the rules one way or another, and somehow, you're never the one to be blamed.
Jones didn't let that one go. The former two-division champion pointed to findings surrounding his 2017 positive test for Turinabol, arguing that authorities did not conclude he intentionally cheated. He then reminded Makhachev of something his late coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov once said about him.
"Your own coach said I was 'a gift from God,'" Jones wrote. And then things got personal. Jones brought up Makhachev's only career defeat, his 2015 knockout loss to Adriano Martins.
"You've been ko'd, flatlined, went night night," he wrote, before adding: "Keep chasing, it's lonely at the top. Islam, hopefully I'll see you up here one day." Let's start this week by dispeling rumors that have been spread by people chasing me: 1. If you believe USADA for finding a pico gram in my system, then you must believe USADA when they say "It was not found to be PERFORMANCE ENHANCING or INTENTIONAL".
You can't have it both ways. Last I check... Makhachev fired back again. "Your whole life seems to be tied to breaking the rules," he wrote, while insisting he was not trying to take away everything Jones achieved during his career.
The argument comes at an interesting time. Makhachev beat Ian Machado Garry last month to extend his UFC winning streak to 17, breaking Anderson Silva's long-standing record of 16. Jones, meanwhile, went 20 fights without a defeat during his remarkable run, although his 2017 victory over Daniel Cormier was changed to a no-contest following the positive drug test.
Makhachev isn't completely untouched by a doping controversy himself. He tested positive for meldonium in 2016 and was provisionally suspended. However, USADA later cleared him with a finding of "No Fault or Negligence," and he received no suspension.