“Future MMA heavyweight champion—mark my words,” said Jon Jones about Gable Steveson after training with the former WWE and Buffalo Bulls star ahead of his UFC 309 clash against Stipe Miocic. Months have passed since that statement, and now Jones is in Minnesota, attending a wrestling match between Minnesota and Purdue on Sunday afternoon inside Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis. He is there to support his friend Steveson and offer some advice to the up-and-coming wrestlers.

The heavyweight champion was there to show love to Steveson, the Gophers heavyweight.  Taking his Instagram handle, Jones uploaded a video where he was having a conversation with the Gophers locker room, “The work ethics that I learned, the lessons I learned—wrestling has helped me in my life, business, and sports. So, you guys are on the right path. I really do believe in wrestling, and everything else in life will be easy for you. So, take care of each other, and love each other.”

The No 7 Minnesota Gophers continued his dominant run on the mats against the No 28 Purdue with a commanding 35-6 victory. With eight wins out of their last ten matches, they extended their scorching hot streak to six straight dual wins, improving to 10-1 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten. Fresh off a stunning upset over No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday, the Gophers showed no signs of slowing down, proving they’re a force to be reckoned with in the conference.

Jones added, “It’s an honor to be here. I wish you guys all the best this season. I hope you guys go on and do great things this season. Wrestling is one of the greatest sports ever. I’ve always heard that once you wrestle, everything else in life feels easy, and I really believe that’s true. Have a great season.”

Well, Jon Jones is an accomplished wrestler, who started his MMA career by making wrestling his base and it must be noted that he even took on Daniel Cormier twice, defeating him head-on. Given that, his former opponent has come forward to praise him but with a twist.

Daniel Cormier praises Jon Jones yet refuses to put him in the  GOAT debate

Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier‘s rivalry was deeply personal, with both fighters displaying relentless aggression. It would not be wrong to say that their rivalry was one of the best things to ever happen within the UFC’s closed doors. While having a conversation at UFC 312 Q&A, Cormier commented on Jones’ position in the greatest of all-time rankings.

“You can’t really deny his greatness,” Cormier admitted. “Look at what he has done. The guy has really fought through three generations of fighter. . . . So yeah, of course he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time. But when you do dirty s—, you don’t get to be called the greatest of all time.” Well, Cormier’s statement is palpable considering the fact that they had their beef, and in addition to that Jon Jones has been caught using Peds multiple times.

However, it must be noted that if Jones gets past Tom Aspinall, then even Daniel Cormier can’t deny that he is the GOAT of MMA. Give that, What are your thoughts on Jon Jones’s next opponent? State your opinions in the comments below.