Over more than a decade under the UFC banner, Jon Jones has faced it all. From Daniel Cormier’s relentless wrestling to Alexander Gustafsson’s lethal striking, he has battled every type of opponent. The 6’4″, two-division champion has consistently shut down every challenge the promotion has thrown his way. However, Jones does not want to face a fellow MMA veteran who outweighs him by more than one hundred pounds inside the cage.

Now 38, Jon Jones has stepped away from active competition and shifted his focus beyond fighting. Instead, he dedicates his time to promoting his brands, making public appearances, and expanding his business ventures, most notably his DBX boxing promotion. At the same time, Jones has revealed a more measured side of himself. More recently, he showed respect toward Demetrious Johnson, despite previously taking subtle shots at the former flyweight champion.

Jon Jones admits Demetrious Johnson poses problems despite the size gap

“Mighty Mouse… I don’t want to smoke with that guy. He’s unbelievable.. He’s unbelievable. I would have to give my all to beat him right now. I really would, despite our size difference. That kid’s always in the gym. He’s in shape. He’s one of the greatest wrestlers on the planet. And he’s used to being the smaller guy. Fighting small guys can be very difficult. They’re very fast, and he’s very intelligent,” Jon Jones said while praising the 113-pound lighter Demetrious Johnson during a conversation with Din Muktar.

While the UFC legends fought in different weight divisions, both fighters are known for their fight IQ and historic championship runs. However, Jones has been clouded by controversies due to legal issues and testing positive for PEDs. In contrast, Demetrious Johnson’s career has remained clean.

During his active years as an MMA fighter, ‘Mighty Mouse’ combined his wrestling base with precise striking and elite speed. As a result, that complete skill set gave him an advantage due to his technical versatility against most of his opponents. Jones even suggested that Johnson could defeat much larger opponents, including a 6’10 NBA star.

“I think Mighty Mouse would beat 99% of the people in this regular round… he would beat Dwight Howard. He would choke out Dwight Howard,” Jon Jones added, as Demetrious Johnson chimed in from behind.

Few expected Jon Jones to openly praise Demetrious Johnson in 2026, especially after years of heated verbal exchanges between the two. Even so, Johnson’s career speaks for itself.

Despite his smaller frame, he put together one of the most impressive résumés in MMA history. Yet throughout his UFC tenure, ‘DJ’ never received the same level of recognition or promotional backing that Dana White and the organization extended to stars like Jon Jones.

Joe Rogan details why Demetrious Johnson was often overlooked in UFC promotion

After nearly a decade under the UFC banner, the promotion traded Demetrious Johnson to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren. At that point, the flyweight GOAT pushed for the move after growing increasingly frustrated with the UFC’s pay structure. He later explained that the promotion underpaid him compared to fighters in other divisions, largely because Dana White and the UFC refused to offer pay-per-view points to flyweights.

However, parting ways with the UFC proved to be a major advantage for ‘DJ’. Upon joining the Asia-based promotion, Demetrious Johnson immediately commanded the spotlight, holding his belt in one hand and his growing financial success in the other. In no time, he became the undisputed superstar of ONE Championship.

Back in 2022, during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe Rogan revisited Demetrious Johnson’s legacy while speaking with Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Ari Shaffir. During the discussion, Rogan compared Johnson’s résumé with Jon Jones’ achievements, focusing on dominance and overall skill.

“It’s hard to argue,” admitted Rogan, with a furrow of his brow. “It’s Mighty Mouse [Demetrious Johnson]. Mighty Mouse just won the One Championship rematch and got his title back. Mighty Mouse is the f–ing man.”

With praise coming from Joe Rogan and Jon Jones for Demetrious Johnson, do you think he holds GOAT-level status over Jon Jones? Drop your thoughts below.