Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson has branded Jon Jones ‘the dirtiest fighter’ in MMA.
Jackson fought Jones for light-heavyweight gold in 2011 at UFC 135 and ultimately fell to a fourth-round submission defeat against the man who has gone on to establish himself as arguably the greatest fighter of all time.
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While the MMA icon accepts ‘Bones’ is an exceptional fighter, he also believes that the former two-time UFC champion is ‘the dirtiest’ opponent he’s ever come up against.
Jackson told Chris Van Vliet: "Jon Jones is a great fighter, even if he was standing in this room I would say it, but he’s the dirtiest fighter.
“If you’re doing anything good on him, he’s going to poke you in the eye. If you’re advancing or doing anything good or you get the advantage, he’s going to kick your knee backward.
“For one, I think that knee kick, he’s kicking you right on your kneecap, I think that should be banned. My knee is still messed up from that because it hyperextended he kicked it all the way back. You can end people’s careers with those moves.
“Think about all of them spinning elbows he used to do in the beginning. Where did they land? Do you remember? In the back of people’s heads. It’s illegal. Jon Jones is like the dirtiest fighter."
Rampage insisted that despite his opinions about Jones’ fighting style he is on good terms with his old rival and everything is fine when they bump into each other.
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He concluded: “I’m cool with Jon Jones. When I see Jon Jones, we cool. I always had honour when I fought but I know everybody is not like me.”
Rampage hasn’t fought since suffering a first-round KO loss to fellow MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko – who retired this past weekend - at Bellator 237 in December 2019.
Post-fight, he addressed being obviously out of shape for his heavyweight debut and admitted to feeling like a hippopotamus when he squared off against ‘The Last Emperor.
Jackson is yet to close the door on his MMA career and may soon return to improve on his impressive record which includes many wins and knockouts against fight legends.
Meanwhile, Jones is currently preparing to make his heavyweight debut as he’s been booked to face Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title recently made vacant by outgoing champion Francis Ngannou.
Jones will headline UFC 285 alongside Gane in Las Vegas on March 4 after spending three years out of the octagon to bulk up for his long-awaited and eagerly anticipated move to a new division.
