UFC featherweight sensation Max Holloway has stirred up controversy by omitting Jon Jones from his MMA Mount Rushmore. This decision comes at a time when UFC President Dana White has been vocal about Jones’ status as the greatest of all time and his top position in the pound-for-pound rankings.
The concept of an MMA Mount Rushmore, where figures in the sport select their top four MMA stars, has gained popularity recently. While some base their choices on overall impact, others focus on fighting prowess. Holloway, however, has taken a unique approach to his selection criteria.
“I’m looking at the way these fighters carried themselves inside and outside of the Octagon, how they were ambassadors for the sport and for the company as well,” Holloway explained in an interview with Stake. His choices might raise eyebrows among fans and fellow fighters alike.
Holloway’s Mount Rushmore consists of four retired fighters: Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Forrest Griffin. The former featherweight champion praised these athletes for their contributions both in and out of the cage.
Particularly notable is Holloway’s inclusion of Forrest Griffin, citing his role in putting the UFC on the map through “The Ultimate Fighter” finale on Spike TV. This choice highlights Holloway’s consideration of the sport’s growth and mainstream appeal in his selection process.
The exclusion of Jones from this prestigious list is especially striking given his dominant career and recent heavyweight title victory. It underscores the subjective nature of such rankings and the different factors that fighters and fans consider when evaluating greatness in MMA.
Holloway also took the opportunity to defend the skill and prowess of smaller fighters, particularly Demetrious Johnson. He emphatically stated that Johnson’s abilities far exceed what many might assume based on his weight class.
In a lighter moment, Holloway jokingly mentioned why he didn’t include Daniel Cormier in his list, playfully referencing their mock rivalry and Cormier’s self-proclaimed title as the “Daddest Man on the Planet.”
