‘Should’ve been unconscious’ – Jon Jones reveals who hit him hardest and it isn’t Daniel Cormier or Stipe Miocic
Jon Jones has shared the Octagon with several big punchers - but one stands out above the rest.
The 37-year-old is widely considered to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time and outside of a questionable disqualification defeat to Matt Hamill back in 2009, he has never lost a fight.
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Jones is the all-time leader for the most wins in UFC title fights at 16 and is one of only eight two-weight world champions in the company's history.
Before capturing heavyweight gold with a dominant display against Ciryl Gane and then defending it against Stipe Miocic, Jones reigned supreme over the light heavyweight division.
Along the way, he beat several all-time greats including Daniel Cormier, Rampage Jackson, Mauricio Rua and Lyoto Machida - all of whom carried an almighty punch at their peak.
But none of them hit him as hard as 'Suga' Rashad Evans.
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“The hardest punch I ever received was from a guy named Suga Rashad Evans,” he said.
“He caught me with an overhand right, the same exact punch he hit Chuck Liddell with and dropped him, he caught me with that same punch.
“It wasn’t that he hit me so hard, it was the speed of the punch.
"It was almost like, you can tighten up or you can just let your arm be loose and let it swing.
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"It’s kind of like an overhand slap, bro, he hit me so fast and I had no clue what it was.
“He just caught me right at the edge of my chin and I remember my feet were to a point where I couldn’t control my legs.
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"Then I refocused and I was able to stand again, but bro that was by far the fastest I’ve ever been hit.
"And thank God I didn’t become unconscious because I probably should have been.”
Jones and Evans struck up a great friendship when they trained together at Jackson Wink MMA, under the tutelage of coach Greg Jackson.
While Jones was rising through the ranks 'Suga' took the young and inexperienced fighter under his wing.
However, their relationship turned sour when Evans left the gym in 2011.
One year later, Jones and Evans settled their feud at UFC 145 for Bones' light heavyweight belt.
The champion got the better of Evans for the majority of the contest en route to a unanimous decision victory but in the third round, he got caught by an overhand right that buckled his knees.
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