LAS VEGAS — For the first time in a long time, Jon Jones isn’t heading into a fight with a cloud of controversy hovering over him. There is no vitriolic verbal jousting with Daniel Cormier or fending off claims of being a cheater like he did against Alexander Gustafsson. In fact, you have to go back almost five years to find a fight where the story was about Jones' prowess as a mixed martial artist and not about shenanigans outside the Octagon.
"It feels good," Jones told Sporting News at UFC 235 media day Thursday. For once, we're not talking about cocaine, drunken driving or picograms. Instead, the focus is on Jones defending his UFC light heavyweight title against perennial underdog Anthony Smith.
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The bout will wrap up a quick turnaround for Jones, who fought on Dec. 29 at UFC 232 — yet another Jones moment that was shrouded in controversy. The entire card was uprooted from Las Vegas to California after an abnormality in drug testing earlier in the month was discovered. A swift return to the Octagon is a gift to the fans who have stuck with him through trying times, and it also assists in pushing his "troubled past" narrative further into the background, provided he keeps winning.
So long as Jones remains on the straight and narrow, it’s likely that people will eventually turn the page on that chapter of his career and focus on the future.
“I think, eventually, that part of my career will be pushed into the background," Jones said. "I think Americans like to see a good comeback story and me fighting helps to distract a lot of the things that have happened in my life. I try to be that comeback story just by doing better and continuing to win."
Few expect Jones to have trouble with the rugged Smith on Saturday, but Jones refuses to take his opponent lightly. That mindset is part of the reason he has maintained such a dominant presence in the world of MMA.
If it weren’t for his issues outside the Octagon, few would take issue with calling Jones the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. Although he's still in his prime at age 31, his resume boasts a litany of former champions and Hall of Famers. He owns victories over current two-weight Bellator champion Ryan Bader, former light heavyweight champions Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He halted the 20-fight win streak of Glover Teixeira and made good on his promise to not allow his rematch with Gustafsson to be remotely competitive.
Oh, and he also holds two wins (only one official) over his nemesis and a man who would have a legitimate claim to the G.O.A.T. title if it weren’t for Jones: Daniel Cormier.
If you ask him, however, being recognized as the greatest of all time isn’t necessarily on his radar.
"I think I've given up on the idea of wanting to be the greatest of all time because greatness can vary in so many ways," Jones said. "Greatness is a very opinion-based thing. I want to be the most dominant fighter that's ever lived. I'm well underway with dominance. I don't think there’s a question. I finish people and my resume is undisputed. Who else can lay that claim to beating so many former world champions? I guess that would be little old me."
If his past is truly behind him, then the only thing he’s chasing now is the ghost of greatness that ends up eluding so many fighters who are upended either by Father Time or a young lion who is hungry to become king of the jungle. The fighter known as "Bones" promises that he won’t take his eye off the prize, even if he isn't interested in being known as the greatest to step into the Octagon.
It is interesting to note, though, that this level of dominance in a sport where participants don't rely on others to win actually enters his name into another conversation entirely: as one of the most dominant athletes of all time.
When Sporting News brought the idea to his attention, Jones initially waved it off.
"Actually, no," he said dismissively. "That's an uphill battle where, no matter what you do, it will always be up for debate. I think doing MMA will be plenty enough for me."
He paused when asked if he’s at least interested being part of the debate.
"It will be amazing to be part of that debate," he said as a smile slowly stretched across his face. "That’s actually pretty awesome."
Challenge accepted.
