Jon Jones, widely considered one of the toughest men in mixed martial arts, has maintained an almost flawless record in his UFC career, with his only official loss being a disqualification.
However, his journey to dominance wasn’t always smooth. A notable incident from his past is a photograph showing him finishing third on a wrestling podium behind former WWE superstar Matt Riddle. Despite this, Jones has clarified that he never actually competed against Riddle.
Matt Riddle won the New York State high school wrestling championships in 2004, leading to rumors that Jones lost to him. However, Jones dispelled these claims in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he never faced Riddle.
Instead, Jones explained that he lost to Jack Sullivan in the semi-finals in 2004 but then defeated Sullivan the following year to win the state championship. He emphasized his own accomplishments by saying,
“Fast Lane, champion sh*t, all the way back in high school.”
Jones has been inactive recently due to a pectoral injury sustained while training for a fight against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 last November. The UFC has yet to announce a new date for this much-anticipated bout. However, Jones teased in a now-deleted X post that he might be returning to the ring on November 9th at Madison Square Garden.
In addition to his UFC success, there has been speculation about Jones transitioning to WWE. Roman Reigns, a prominent WWE superstar, believes Jones has the potential to succeed in professional wrestling.
In a 2020 interview with TMZ Sports, Reigns acknowledged that while MMA and WWE require different skill sets, Jones has the necessary attributes to excel in the wrestling world. Reigns highlighted Jones’ reputation and work ethic, suggesting that if Jones could adapt to the demands of WWE, he could have a promising future there.
Reigns stated, “He has definitely got the tools, there is no doubt, he is a bad man. But what we do is a little bit different than the octagon and it’s going to be a different travel schedule and different demands. But I definitely think he has a great name, he has got a great work ethic… I definitely think there could be a future for him if he can put in the time and transition and develop the skills that we use.”
While Jon Jones’ UFC career is on a temporary hold due to injury, his past accomplishments and future prospects, both in MMA and potentially in WWE, continue to keep him in the spotlight.
