Jon Jones had a career of both championship wins and courtroom showdowns, but he has remained at the top of the UFC ever since making his debut in 2008. After almost 18 years, ‘Bones’ decided to call it a career in a rather unceremonious fashion as Dana White dropped the bombshell after UFC Baku. Well, a lot of people have come out to congratulate the former two-weight champion for capping off an incredible career, with Gordon Ryan and Gable Steveson being among the bunch.

‘Bones’ was pretty emotional about his retirement as he shared a message after hanging up his gloves. “MMA will always be a part of who I am,” he wrote on social media. Meanwhile, Gordon Ryan recently shared a post on Instagram to celebrate the life and career of Jon Jones. He’s been around a lot of greats, including the former UFC champion, and claims that the fighters on those elite levels have something different in them. Ryan also took pleasure in mentioning how pleased he was to have been able to help Jones out for his last fight against Stipe Miocic, claiming it to be a “highlight” of his career.

“Not only the greatest American fighter of all time, but the greatest fighter of all time – [Jon Jones]. Being able to work with GOATs is a different energy… You can tell that these guys are just different,” wrote Gordon Ryan. “For 8 weeks, I had the pleasure of assisting Jon in the final camp of his career and an experience I will never forget, and a highlight of my eventual coaching career. The ability for him to learn, adapt, and execute is on a level unseen in MMA.”

The BJJ world champion also made a bold claim about how easy it is for most fighters to get to the UFC. But unlike Jon Jones, nobody has had to deal with being the target of many fighters for most of their careers. “Anyone can get to the UFC. Anyone can win the belt. That stuff is easy… but to be on top with a target on your back, for more than a decade, beating multiple generations of fighters, staying ahead of the curve, and never losing… that is something special,” Gordon Ryan added.

Olympic gold winner Gable Steveson stumbled across Ryan’s post on Jon Jones. The 25-year-old has been training with ‘Bones’ for some time now, as the UFC legend has backed him to go big in the MMA world in the future. After reading what Ryan had to write about Jones, Steveson couldn’t agree more about the former heavyweight champion, as he added a folded hands emoji in the comments.

Well, Jon Jones’ retirement has been overshadowed by some legal troubles, but Gordon Ryan assures that things aren’t what they look like and everyone will get the answers soon. Meanwhile, Ryan and Steveson aren’t the only ones to share a message with Jon Jones, as fellow UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov also shared his message to the consensus GOAT following the retirement announcement.

Khabib Nurmagomedov calls Jon Jones the best to ever do it

Khabib Nurmagomedov capped off his career with a dominant 29-0 record, and that too, as a champion. Despite his own accolades, he believes Jon Jones is the best fighter to grace the UFC’s Octagon. This doesn’t come as a surprise since his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, had called Jones a “gift from God.” But coming back to Khabib’s message for the former 2-weight champion, he did add an angle around it.

Khabib Nurmagomedov claims he and Jon Jones don’t really have a relationship as friends, but he did not hesitate to call him the UFC GOAT. “My congratulations legend, even we was 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,” ‘The Eagle’ said recently.

There’s always a lively discussion about Jon Jones being the GOAT, especially considering his history with doping violations over the years. But maybe a nod from a legend like Khabib Nurmagomedov could turn the tide of public opinion. Through all the highs and lows, Jones will forever be etched i7n the memory as one of the standout performers the UFC has ever showcased. Drop your thoughts in the comments below, we want to hear from you!