Jon Jones is the UFC GOAT, but that doesn’t mean James Johnson doesn’t think he could take him.
The NBA veteran, currently playing for the Indiana Pacers, recently appeared on The OGs podcast where he discussed everything from family to basketball.
At one point in the conversation, the 37-year-old’s fight background came up.
Johnson has claimed he went 20-0 as a kickboxer during his younger years, and was asked whether he could go toe to toe with someone like Jones in the Octagon.
The No. 16 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft said he thinks he could, providing the fight stays on the feet.
“I truly, truly believe that [I could beat Jon Jones],” he confident said.
“I’m not just… like I said, I’ve been doing this my whole life. Like, real training would really be for that groundwork. As far as standing up in a fight, I feel like I got an advantage.”
The UFC heavyweight champion, set to take on Stipe Miocic in a legacy fight at UFC 309 on November 16, caught wind of Johnson’s comments and brushed them off.
“I didn’t realise until now, basketball players got CTE as well, this man sounds crazy,” ‘Bones’ posted on social media.
Former middleweight king and adversary of Jones, Israel Adesanya, also mocked Johnson over his comments.
Adesanya replied: “[crying emoji] I see red bro!”
However, Johnson may not be the walk in the park Jones and Adesanya think he is.
He’s a 6ft 9in power forward who is nicknamed ‘Bloodsport’ and comes from a family of combat sports practitioners.
According to Sports Illustrated, Johnson’s parents, and all eight of his siblings, are black belts.
Johnson reportedly began karate at the age of four and, by his 18th birthday, had secured seven world karate titles, nine national crowns, and compiled an impressive 20-0 record as a kickboxer.
“You fight your weight class,” Johnson said. “I fought 26-year-olds, I fought 30-year-olds, I fought 16-year-olds, I fought 18 and 19-year-olds when I was 14, 15, 16 years old.”
However, his fight career took a backseat when he prioritized basketball and became the starting power forward for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons from 2007 to 2009.
Nevertheless, Johnson has continued to train, and regularly spars with his father’s and uncle’s MMA gyms each offseason.
To this day, he remains unbeaten.
“I’m sure there’s someone out there in this world who can beat me. I haven’t met him yet,” Johnson added.
“I’ve been knocked down before. I’ve been knocked out before, but I remember getting back up before that 10-second count and I remember winning that fight.”
Johnson played two years with the Chicago Bulls between 2009 and 2011.
The gritty enforcer has largely been a journeyman throughout his 15-year pro career.
He has suited up for the Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, and Pacers.
Jones, meanwhile, has been anything but a journeyman in his respective sport.
At 23, he became the youngest UFC champion ever — a record that still stands today — and has been at the top of the game ever since.
‘Bones’ is a two-time undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion and the current UFC heavyweight champion, one of only nine fighters to have ever won belts in multiple divisions.
The 37-year-old stepped up to heavyweight last year at UFC 285 and submitted Ciryl Gane to capture the vacant heavyweight strap.
His career-defining bout with heavyweight legend Miocic was initially booked for UFC 295 in November 2023, but fell apart when Jones suffered a torn pectoral muscle in training.
Now he’s back and set to headline UFC 309 live from Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 16.
