"Get Khabib out of here man!!" - MMA X weighs in as Jake Paul reveals his MMA Mount Rushmore following Jon Jones' retirement

Jake Paul recently shared his Mount Rushmore of MMA fighters after the official announcement of Jon Jones' retirement, sparking mixed reactions from combat sports fans across the globe. While some mocked Paul's take, others offered their own suggestions.

During UFC Baku's post-fight press conference this past Saturday, the promotion's CEO Dana White announced that Jones has retired from the sport, confirming fans' skepticism over the two-division champion ever stepping foot in the octagon again. As a result, interim champion Tom Aspinall was elevated to the undisputed heavyweight kingpin position.

Following the news, Paul took to X and listed 'Bones' among UFC superstars Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Khabib Nurmagomedov on his Mount Rushmore of top mixed martial artists, writing:

''Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, GSP and Khabib. Your top 4?''

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Fans quickly rushed to the comments section to share their reactions.

One fan wrote:

''Get Khabib out of here man!! Jones, Silva, GSP, MM [Demetrious 'Mighty Mouse' Johnson]''

Another stated:

''Silva, GSP and Khabib didn't duck the interim champions.''

Other fans wrote:

''Khabib never beat anyone twice. Never had any real feuds, and never cleaned out the division. [Ilia] Topuria is close to having a similar resume as your GOAT. Ridiculous.''

''Conor for the popularity and one of the best “runs” in the UFC. Khabib for the most dominant. Mighty Mouse for the best overall mixed martial artists. Silva & Jose Aldo tie for 4th. Jon maybe in the top 8. But possible 5th if he just retired after the [Ciryl] Gane fight.''

Check out more reactions below:

Fan reactions [Screenshots courtesy: @jakepaul on X]

The entire MMA fandom was reportedly annoyed with Jones' decision to not take on a title unification bout against Aspinall after successfully defending his throne against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. With the Brit as the undisputed champion, the heavyweight division can finally move on.

When Jake Paul pushed for potential Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou superfight

Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou proposed a heavyweight showdown earlier this month, which has been a long-standing topic of conversation in the MMA community.

In response, Jake Paul, who owns a part of PFL, expressed his desire to witness the potential matchup in an X post:

''The perfect final dance for the two greatest MMA heavyweights of all time. Jon Jones wants it. Francis Ngannou wants it. Big fight for the sport. Big fight for the fans and Big business. Who doesn’t want it?''

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About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena