Islam Makhachev’s rise to the top of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings has added a new chapter to the sport’s long-running greatest-of-all-time debate — and Jon Jones has now responded after the Russian champion questioned the validity of his winning streak.
Makhachev recently broke Anderson Silva’s UFC record for consecutive victories, recording his 17th straight Octagon win when he defeated Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330 on August 15. The result also allowed him to retain his welterweight championship.
Speaking to Ushatayka, Makhachev said he considers Jones one of the greatest athletes in MMA but argued that Jones’ UFC streak should not be treated in the same way because of his history with anti-doping violations.
Jones subsequently answered on social media, defending his record and pointing to findings surrounding one of his anti-doping cases.
Makhachev challenges Jones’ record
The disagreement centres on how Jones’ achievements should be assessed after two separate anti-doping controversies.
Jones tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole before UFC 200 in 2016, resulting in his removal from the card. A later case involved the M3 metabolite of oral Turinabol detected around UFC 214, where Jones had defeated Daniel Cormier.
His victory over Cormier at UFC 214 was subsequently overturned to a no contest. USADA’s arbitration material recorded the presence of the Turinabol metabolite and noted the extremely low concentration detected in the sample.
Makhachev’s argument is that Jones’ winning streak should effectively be recalculated from the point at which the anti-doping violation affected his official record. His comments have reopened an old question in MMA: how should fighters’ achievements be evaluated when an individual victory is later overturned?
Jones defends his legacy
Jones rejected Makhachev’s assessment and cited the findings surrounding his anti-doping case.
He also revived his long-running rivalry with Daniel Cormier, Makhachev’s former teammate and close associate. Jones reminded Makhachev of his victories over Cormier and mocked the former champion’s explanation of those defeats.
Jones then turned the discussion towards Makhachev’s own record.
Makhachev’s sole professional defeat came against Adriano Martins in October 2015. Since then, he has built an extraordinary run, winning 17 consecutive UFC fights. The UFC’s official record book now lists Makhachev first on its all-time UFC win-streak table, ahead of Anderson Silva’s 16 and Jones’ 13.
Jones referenced that loss while taunting Makhachev, telling the champion that he had been knocked out and suggesting he still had work to do before reaching Jones’ position in the sport’s hierarchy.
Makhachev’s UFC résumé continues to grow
Whatever the outcome of the argument, Makhachev’s current numbers have strengthened his GOAT credentials.
The UFC lists him at 29-1-0, with 17 consecutive victories. He is also the reigning welterweight champion and the former lightweight champion.
Makhachev became a two-division UFC champion when he defeated Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title in November 2025. He then defended the belt against Machado Garry in Philadelphia in August 2026.
The UFC also identifies Makhachev as the current No. 1 fighter in its men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
That gives the current debate a statistical foundation beyond social-media exchanges. Makhachev has the longest UFC winning streak in history, while Jones remains the UFC’s leader in title-fight victories, according to the promotion’s record book.
Jones’ official career record remains intact
There is an important distinction between Jones’ official career record and the debate over how his legacy should be interpreted.
The UFC announced Jones’ retirement in June 2025. He finished his career with a 28-1 record and one no contest, with his final fight being a third-round stoppage of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November 2024.
Therefore, while Makhachev can challenge the significance of parts of Jones’ résumé, Jones’ official record remains a matter of UFC recordkeeping rather than something that has been erased by the current debate.
The controversy is instead about how fans and analysts should weigh those achievements when comparing Jones with fighters such as Makhachev.
For now, there is no sporting matchup to settle the argument. Jones is retired, while Makhachev remains an active champion and is building on his record-setting UFC run. The GOAT discussion, however, appears certain to continue.
What did Islam Makhachev say about Jon Jones?
Makhachev said he considers Jones one of MMA’s greatest athletes but does not regard his UFC winning streak as fully valid because of Jones’ anti-doping history.
How did Jon Jones respond to Islam Makhachev?
Jones defended his record and responded with criticism of Makhachev and Daniel Cormier, while also reminding Makhachev about his UFC loss to Adriano Martins.
What is Islam Makhachev’s UFC winning streak?
Makhachev has 17 consecutive UFC victories, the longest winning streak in UFC history according to the promotion’s current record book.
What is Jon Jones’ professional record?
Jones retired with an official record of 28 wins, one loss and one no contest, according to the UFC.
Is Jon Jones still fighting in the UFC?
No. The UFC announced Jones’ retirement in June 2025.
Who is currently No. 1 in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings?
Islam Makhachev is currently ranked No. 1 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
When did Islam Makhachev break Anderson Silva’s UFC win-streak record?
Makhachev broke Silva’s record by defeating Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15, 2026, giving him 17 consecutive UFC victories
