Max Holloway Swaps Jon Jones for UFC Icon in His MMA Mount Rushmore

UFC's BMF Champion Max Holloway explains why Forrest Griffin is on his list and not others like Jon Jones.

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Max Holloway's 'MMA Mount Rushmore' is a little different than most.

A shoo-in for the UFC Hall of Fame someday, Holloway's career is not yet finished, attempting to reclaim his lost featherweight title against current champ Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 on Oct. 26. But, that's in the future with the BMF titleholder recently paying his respects to the legendary fighters who came before him.

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Everybody seems to have an opinion on who the greatest fighter of all time is, whether that's Dana White hailing Jon Jones as the 'GOAT' or others debating that it's someone else altogether.

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That's where the 'Mount Rushmore' conversation begins with four stars to choose from, ranked on their legacies in the sport.

"Blessed" Reveals His Picks, Including Forrest Griffin

Holloway would reveal his own list of names, controversially leaving out two-division champion Jon Jones, trading him for 'The Ultimate Fighter 1' winner and former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

"I would say Demetrious [Johnson] is definitely up there, Anderson Silva is there too, GSP [Georges St-Pierre] and then you have to give it to Forrest Griffin because he helped put the UFC on the map," Holloway told Stake.

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Despite not having as many career accolades as "Bones" Jones, Griffin (19-7) played his part in the early days of the UFC, helping the promotion stay afloat with a 'TUF' finale like no other, slugging it out with Stephan Bonnar for three rounds in what pundits claim to be "the fight that saved the UFC."

"That TUF Finale on Spike TV was huge for the UFC," Holloway said of Griffin's impact on the UFC. "So, those are my guys for sure. Those four guys are absolute animals.

"When you talk about Demetrious Johnson, it seems insane to me how he is viewed just because he fought at 125 lbs. This 125er would absolutely whoop your ass... I wish I was fighting during the time that GSP was around, I would have loved to have shared the Octagon with him. He's one of the greats, as was Anderson Silva - he was such a beast."

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Holloway's MMA Mount Rushmore Goes By A Different Criteria

Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva are among the most decorated champions in UFC history with 30 title defenses between the three of them. So, why didn't the long-reigning light heavyweight and current heavyweight king Jon Jones make Holloway's list?

"Some people might disagree with my Mount Rushmore, but I'm looking at the way these fighters carried themselves inside and outside of the Octagon, how they were ambassadors for the sport and for the company as well," Holloway explained.

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While Jon Jones has long been in the GOAT conversation for his body of work in the Octagon, his career has not been without asterisks, from multiple run-ins with the law to positive drug tests in the past.

As for other fighters...

"DC is probably going to be mad that he's not on my Mount Rushmore of MMA, but I don't like the way he carries himself out of the UFC," Holloway said of another two-division champion Daniel Cormier, who he's been jokingly butting heads with for years. "He thinks he's the 'Daddest Man on the Planet', he is delusional."

What do you make of Max Holloway's MMA Mount Rushmore?

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