UFC veteran and pro wrestling fixture Matt Riddle has weighed in on the debate surrounding Jon Jones' status as the greatest fighter of all time, offering both acknowledgment of their shared history and respect for Jones' accomplishments.
Matt Riddle Says Jon Jones is "The Baddest Dude on the Planet" Despite Beating Him in Wrestling
Speaking with The Schmo backstage at Real American Freestyle's RAF05 event in Sunrise, Florida, Riddle addressed his past victories over Jones during their high school wrestling days. "I mean, I did beat Jon Jones back in the day. We have some history, but he is, let's be real, it's Jon Jones," Riddle said. "Anybody can say whatever they want. The guy is the baddest dude on the planet."
Riddle, who won the New York State wrestling championship in 2004 while attending Saratoga Springs High School defeated Jones twice in state-level tournaments during their amateur careers. Jones, who competed for Union-Endicott High School, finished third at the 2004 state championships before winning the title in 2005.
However, Jones has disputed Riddle's version of events. In January 2026, the former UFC heavyweight champion responded to Riddle's claims on Instagram, stating he never actually wrestled Riddle. "I could be the bigger man and let it go, but there's another side of me that can be extremely petty," Jones wrote. "The truth is, I never wrestled Matt. I lost in the state semifinals to Jack Sullivan back in 2004."
Despite the disagreement over their wrestling history, Riddle was effusive in his praise of Jones as a mixed martial artist. "And now that he's heavyweight, let's be real, he's gonna kill everybody," Riddle said. "You might hit a lucky shot, but pound for pound, time for time, minute per minute, Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world."
Does Matt Riddle think he could take Jon Jones?
When asked about a potential rematch under the Real American Freestyle banner, Riddle acknowledged the likely outcome.
If they want to book it, they can. Jon Jones is probably going to smoke my ass," he said. "But at the same time, never say never. That's what fighters have in their hearts."
Jones, who retired from MMA in June 2025 at age 37, compiled a record of 28-1 with his only loss being a controversial disqualification. He held the UFC light heavyweight championship for 14 years across multiple reigns and captured the heavyweight title in 2023 after defeating Ciryl Gane. Jones recently announced plans to return for a potential fight at a White House event celebrating America's 250th birthday.
Riddle competed in the UFC from 2008 to 2013, posting an 8-3 record before being released after testing positive for marijuana twice. He transitioned to professional wrestling in 2014 and spent several years with WWE before joining Major League Wrestling, where he won the MLW World Heavyweight Championship in January 2025. He lost the title in September 2025.
