DANA WHITE has sensationally CHANGED his UFC Mount Rushmore – just days after the retirement of a mixed martial arts legend.
MMA fans are once again debating who would grace a UFC version of the American National Memorial sculpture following the retirement of Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson last weekend.
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The former long-reigning flyweight champion is held in extremely high regard by White, who revealed the fan favourite will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
But there is no room for DJ in White’s latest UFC Mount Rushmore, which has undergone a major facelift.
Four years ago, White revealed that he would include former UFC champs Amanda Nunes, Royce Gracie and Chuck Liddell and current heavyweight king Jon Jones in his version of the iconic South Dakota monument.
But he’s ditched THREE of them in a ruthless cull.
White’s new Mount Rushmore, is now made up of former champs Conor McGregor Ronda Rousey, Georges St-Pierre and Jones.
The veteran promoter, 55, told ESPN last weekend: “You’ve got to go with Jon Jones.
“You’ve got to go with Ronda Rousey because women would not be fighting in the UFC if it were not for her.
“You would have to put GSP in there, [also].
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“And absolutely, positively, Conor McGregor. He elevated and changed the game globally.”
MMA fans were quick to react to White’s latest Mount Rushmore, which divided opinions, on social media.
One wrote on X: “The glazing never ends for Juice Jones.”
Another said: “This is arguably one of the worst MMA Mount Rushmores ever.”
And another said “Glazing per usual but overall valid list.”
One remarked: “Those are some big names.”
Another chimed in: “Not a bad list at all.”
“In terms of trailblazing the sport to where it is today, you have to have Conor on there,” said another fan.”
Jones’ survival of the cull doesn’t come as a surprise as White believes the 37-year-old the greatest mixed martial artist of all time and the current pound-for-pound king.
In the UFC 303 post-fight press conference in June, he said: “This is the problem with the conversation that we’re having here and why people aren’t giving Jon Jones the respect for pound-for-pound.
“This f***ing guy destroyed the best heavyweight in the division. [He] easily made it look like nothing.
“Jon Jones is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world and the greatest fighter f***ing ever. Period. End of story.”
Jones is set to return to the octagon on November 16 in the main event of UFC 309 in New York, where he’ll defend his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic.
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