"You have to put him in the conversation of G.O.A.T." - Aljamain Sterling compares Kamaru Usman's dominance to 'prime' Jon Jones
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Aljamain Sterling heaped praise on Kamaru Usman, insisting that the UFC welterweight champion resembles a younger Jon Jones.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' is chasing his 16th straight victory inside the octagon when he puts his 170lbs strap on the line against Englishman Leon Edwards. Having never lost in the UFC, the 35-year-old has faced some stiff competition throughout the years, with Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns being among those.
Speaking in support of Kamaru Usman, Aljamain Sterling gave his honest opinion of the The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 21 winner, declaring the welterweight as one of the greatest to ever compete in the sport of mixed martial arts:
"You have to put him in the conversation of G.O.A.T., I think so. He's starting to lap these guys and he's putting these guys away... Kind of reminds me of Jon Jones in his prime where he was doing to guys, running through the competition. So I think he's up there with [Anderson] Silva, GSP [Georges St-Pierre], [Jon] Jones, and Mighty Mouse [Demetrious Johnson]."
'Funk Master' is scheduled to make his second title defense of the UFC bantamweight title when he meets T.J. Dillashaw in the co-headliner of UFC 280 on October 22.
Check out Sterling's full interview with The Schmo below.
Who will Jon Jones fight on his UFC heavyweight debut?
Jon Jones has been out of competition for over two years, thereby missing out on competition during a significant period of his prime inside the cage. Now, as the former light heavyweight UFC champion looks to return to the sport, who will he face in his UFC heavyweight debut?
Rumors suggest 'Bones' will stand across the octagon from Stipe Miocic during his first fight in the division. However, it seems like Jones and the UFC are at an impasse.
'Bones' has been trying to get a fight for himself for some time now, and although it seems like his opportunity to instantly force his way to a title shot against Francis Ngannou is gone, the 28-fight veteran has other options for his heavyweight debut.
Currently, the biggest division in the UFC is as exciting as it's ever been, with a number of great rising prospects beginning to prosper within the promotion. If Jon Jones isn't given an instant shot at 'The Predator', we may see him come up against the soaring Curtis Blaydes or the tricky Ciryl Gane instead.