Jon Jones: "You have nothing more to prove” - Khabib Nurmagomedov delivers heartfelt farewell to Jon Jones after retirement

Khabib Nurmagomedov has issued a message to fellow all-time great Jon Jones following the American's recent retirement from MMA. It was initially confirmed by UFC CEO Dana White on June 21 that 'Bones' had called time on his career.

Several hours after White's statement, Jones took to social media to share a message of his own and said:

"Today, I’m officially announcing my retirement from the UFC. This decision comes after a lot of reflection, and I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the journey I’ve experienced over the years..."

Check out Jon Jones' post below:

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Jones is widely regarded as the greatest MMA fighter of all-time. He holds numerous UFC record, including the youngest champion in promotional history, at just 23 years old.

The respect that the former two-division champion garners as a fighter from his fellow combatants is without question. As such, 'The Eagle' took to his Instagram story and shared the following:

"My congratulations, legend. Even [though] we were not friends, but you are the best who ever do it in UFC history and you inspire millions of people around the world. You have nothing more to prove in this sport."

Check out Khabib Nurmagomedov's Instagram story below:

Screenshot of Khabib Nurmagomedov's Instagram story about Jon Jones' retirement

Does Khabib Nurmagomedov make Jon Jones' MMA Mount Rushmore?

Khabib Nurmagomedov might be the most dominant fighter in MMA history. The former lightweight champion famously never lost a fight, retiring in 2020 with a record of 29-0. But more impressive than that, he has only lost two rounds in his entire career.

While the Russian regards Jon Jones as the best fighter in UFC history, it appears that Nurmagomedov was just shy of making Jones' Mount Rushmore list of MMA fighters.

'Bones' instead listed himself, flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva, all of whom hold records inside the UFC.

Jones' comments came during a recent interview with DeepCut with Vic Blends, where he said:

"Top four. Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre and myself. In no specific order. I think we've all done really great things in this sport."

Check out Jon Jones' list omitting Khabib Nurmagomedov below (1:19:55):

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Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi