Most folks have a favorite fighter together with the best fighter of all time. Former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones named his favorite fighter of all time and his favorite presently lively combined martial artist in a latest interview with Helen Yee Sports.
“My favorite fighter to look at, it is at all times been Anderson Silva,” Jones mentioned. “He’s unbelievable.”
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Silva held the undisputed UFC middleweight championship for two,457 days, the longest title reign in UFC historical past. He defended the middleweight belt a file 10 consecutive occasions . He was inducted within the UFC Hall of Fame within the Pioneer Wing in 2023 and within the Fight Wing in 2024. Silva title is at all times talked about within the best of all time debate and continues to compete in boxing at 50-years-old. He final fought in December, knocking out former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley on the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua undercard.
While Silva is Jones’ favorite fighter of all time to look at, “Bones” revealed his favorite lively fighter as properly.
“Right now, I would say Ilia [Topuria]. He really gets me excited,” mentioned Jones. “He’s just dynamite.”
Topuria, like Jones, is a two-division UFC titleholder. He captured the 145-pound championship by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024. He defended the title as soon as, knocking out former champion Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October of 2024.
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“El Mator” relinquished his 145-pound championship to maneuver as much as the light-weight division looking for a second UFC divisional belt. He’d turn into a member of the two-division champion membership by knocking out former light-weight titleholder Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 final June.
In November, Topuria introduced that he was taking an extended break from combating to take care of divorce. It was unknown how lengthy the champion could be sidelined however he indicated that he wouldn’t be combating within the first quarter of 2026. In his absence, the battle promotion opted to crown an interim titleholder.
Former interim champion Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett fought for the interim crown within the UFC 325 essential occasion on Jan. 24. Gaethje defeated “The Baddy” to turn into two-time interim champion and earned a title unification bout in opposition to Topuria. The two are anticipated to battle later this yr.