American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez believes Jon Jonesā past failed drug tests eliminate him from the greatest of all time debate.
UFC CEO Dana White has been stumping hard for heavyweight champion Jones, chastising media for ranking him No. 3 in the pound-for-pound standings behind light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and Mendez-trained lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, who is No. 1.
But Mendez argues that based on Jonesā history with failed tests linked to performance-enhancing drugs, he shouldnāt be considered the greatest fighter of all time.
āDana is still insisting that Jon Jones is pound-for-pound No. 1,ā Mendez said on his āJavier Mendez Podcast.ā āHe has his valid points, but my valid point is I just say one thing: Lance Armstrong.
Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France how many times? And basically he got all those titles taken away from him because of one thing: doping. And even though it was many years later that they caught him, he lost all his Tour de France (titles). Well, itās been a fact, itās been proven Jon Jones has been caught doping. So, Iām sorry, I think that disqualifies him just based on that alone.ā
Jonesā second win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 was overturned to a no contest when he tested positive for the anabolic steroid turinabol. His sentence was significantly reduced from four years to a 15-month sentence after he provided āsubstantial assistanceā to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which ran the UFCās program at the time. Jones stated he did not knowingly take any prohibited substances and that the substances he consumed were tainted.
Jones failed a third drug test prior to his UFC 232 rematch with Alexander Gustafsson when he tested positive for the same turinabol metabolites. However, USADA determined they were trace amounts in the form of picograms incapable of giving Jones a competitive advantage. He defeated Gustafsson in the UFC 232 headliner to reclaim the vacant light heavyweight title.
Mendez also disagrees with White calling Jones the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
āHe would be in a big consideration, but he hasnāt fought since (2023),ā Mendez said. āSo, I donāt know how you can put him in that category because of what he did before. Heās not active. If he was active, then thereās a bigger challenge for that, but heās not active.
āHis abilities? Yeah, I can see that, 100 percent. I mean, the guy is one of the greatest of all time, for sure. But for me, I value the greatest of all time based on what they do outside, not just what they do inside.ā
Heās right.
Jones is the biggest cheat in UFC history second only to Chael in failed performance enhancing tests.
Fucking Javier throwing some heat.
I discredit Jon as GOAT too but I think doing so because of the steroids is just silly. 
It is a pretty good comparison to be honestā¦ But not for reasons specified.
Both sports are full of PEDsā¦ Jones was not using any more than the people he beat likewise for Lance. Jones actually beat lots of guys who were on more shit than he was on.
What did he have to say about Cormier holding himself up with the towel to make weight? Is that form of cheating OK?
Heās not wrong.
I bet he changes his tune if they put a usada branch next door to kahbibs place.
Steroids donāt make you beat the shit outta people. Skills do.
Jon is the GOAT
I havent seen the data, but, I would be t money that Jon Jones has the record for the champion with the most flagged drug tests. It has to be him.
They moved a whole event on a weeks notice to let him fight. Im sure hes had other flagged tests that the UFC kept hidin and made excuses forā¦in short, āFuck Jon. Can you hear me Jon?ā
Iirc you donāt like him because of the whole weed thing right? And you sell drugs to kids right?
Just trying to remember if thats what it was.
What are you basing this on other than thinking Jones is cute?
Iād be interested to hear about some of these guyās stacksā¦
The smell test. I have used numerous PEDs so I have a better gauge for it than you might (unless you have that experience as well).
We can actually see the evolution of jones body and it lines up with his failures.
He was probably cleaner than a lot of the guys he fought
Sell drugs to kids?
What?
I sell drugs to drug addled adults.
How dare you try to sully my good name young man.
Frankly, I expected better of you, son.