"You’re the one and only” - Gordon Ryan shares touching tribute to Jon Jones following UFC 309 win over Stipe Miocic
Jon Jones successfully defended his heavyweight throne against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, with teammate Gordon Ryan in his corner for the first time. Ryan is regarded as one of the best submission grapplers ever and has trained with Jones for several years.
With both Jones and Ryan viewed as two of the best competitors in their respective sports, they share an immense amount of respect for one another.
Following the two-division champion's recent victory over Miocic by way of a brutal body kick in round three, Ryan took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt message to his teammate and friend.
'The King' wrote:
"It is very inspiring to be around greatness. As a fan, Iawant to see him continue because hes as exciting as they come and never loses. As a coach, I want to see him continue because despite being better than everyone else, there is so much more for him to learn."
He continued:
"Thank you for choosing me to help you, and thank you for your friendship. Enjoy this time off that you deserve, and don't let anyone tell you what to do. Not the fans, not the fighters, only you. You're the one and only."
Catch Gordon Ryan's message to Jon Jones below:
Tom Aspinall shares cryptic analysis of Jon Jones following UFC 309
UFC 309 was headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic.
Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was the official backup fighter for the bout and was sat front row after both Jones and Miocic made it to fight night without issue.
Many fans hoped that Aspinall would be stood across from 'Bones' at UFC 309. Following the New York native's successful title defense, the 31-year old shared inside information that pointed to Jones vs. Aspinall being next.
During an interview with ESPN MMA, the interim champion discussed seeing 'Bones' fight live for the first time, saying:
"I had only seen Jon Jones fight on the TV before. This is the first time I had ever seen him up close... I was almost an arm's length from the UFC octagon... I am so happy that I got to see an up-close version of what Jon Jones looks like at 38 years old at the back end of his career. I'm very satisfied."
When asked what stood out for Aspinall, he said this:
"The speed, just the speed. There is no chance that he can-I don't want to say too much."
Catch Tom Aspinall's comments below (3:35):