Merab Dvalishvili shares two-word reaction to Dana White calling Jon Jones 'The GOAT'
Merab Dvalishvili recently expressed his thoughts about Dana White labeling Jon Jones as the GOAT of the UFC.
White started portraying Jones as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the current roster after Islam Makhachev conquered the apex spot on the UFC's official top pound-for-pound fighters list. Since then, White has repeatedly mentioned Jones as the best fighter in UFC history.
At the pre-UFC 309 press conference, White resorted to his usual opinion once more to answer a reporter's question about the GOAT of fighting. He said:
"Listen, as long as this guy [pointing to Jon Jones] is active, he is the best – pound-for-pound, best in the world, and the greatest of all time [GOAT]."
An Instagram post from ESPN MMA showcased White's compliment for Jones amid the pre-UFC 309 press conference.
It also garnered a two-word comment from Dvalishvili that displayed his acceptance toward White's notion. 'The Machine' penned:
"I agree"
Dana White seems determined to maintain the value of UFC interim championships
Jon Jones has been ignoring Tom Aspinall's callout for a heavyweight title unification since the UK native won the interim heavyweight title at UFC 295. Jones has also received a lot of backlash from a sizable chunk of the UFC community for not showing interest in fighting Aspinall.
That said, former UFC women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg defended Jones' wish to overlook the current interim heavyweight champ. Cyborg also labeled the UFC interim championships a "paper title" in one of her recent posts on X.
"That fight does nothing for 'Bones's' legacy. IC is a paper title. Jones is the 🐐 he makes the rules."
However, Dana White seems to be determined to protect the worth of UFC interim championships. In his recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show, White mentioned that the winner of the Jones vs. Miocic heavyweight title fight will need to lock horns with Aspinall next. The 55-year-old also doubled down on his words during the pre-UFC 309 press conference.
"The winner [of the Jones vs. Miocic fight at UFC 309] should absolutely fight Tom [Aspinall]."
Check out Dana White's comments below (08:50):