Jon Jones explains calling Islam Makhachev "new in the sport" during interaction involving Nate Diaz: "I can say that"

Jon Jones opened up about the Islam Makhachev remarks during an interview which also featured Nate Diaz. Jones claimed that he was attempting to convey Diaz's thoughts to the Russian fan base.

The reigning heavyweight champion is currently in Thailand filming for 'ALF Global Reality,' a Russian reality tv show simillar to 'The Ultimate Fighter'. He serves as a coach opposite to former UFC fighter Nate Diaz.

During their interaction with a Russian presenter earlier this month, Diaz expressed his thoughts on Makhachev's legacy. Jones qucikly jumped in to elaborate the Stockton native's take, saying:

"He [Nate Diaz] is saying that [Islam] is a little new in the sport still, to be even considered. But he's got a big future. The longer you're on top, the more your opponents get to study your footage. People fixate on fighting you instead of their next opponent. It gets harder and harder the longer you stay on top."

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Jones' comments earned him a scathing response from Makhachev's fandom, forcing the reigning heavyweight champion to defend his stance. In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Jones clarified that he was trying to explain Diaz's message to the Russian audience because of the latter's calm and relaxed manner of speaking.

''I feel like the comment I made, made a lot of people upset, a lot of Islam’s fans upset. But really what I was trying to do, was I was trying to translate for Nate to the Russians. Nate speaks in a very laid back way, he speaks with a lot of slang. If you’re not American, it may be hard to understand what he was saying. So I was just trying to translate for Diaz. But at the same time, me saying that Islam is an up-and-coming fighter, when it’s coming from me, I can say that.''

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Tom Aspinall discusses the delay in Jon Jones fight

While many MMA fans are waiting for the official announcement of the Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall heavyweight title unification bout, Jones is enjoying his time in Thailand.

As for Aspinall, he recently spoke to Demetrious Johnson and voiced his thoughts on the delay of his matchup with Jones, saying:

''I can't say about the money stuff...but I think I'm a bad matchup for him, to be honest, and he knows it. I honestly can see Jon’s point of view. I get it. I get it. It’s just about the title for me. I just want the title, that’s it. Nothing else really matters.''

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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