Jon Jones picks Ronaldo over Messi in GOAT debate

Jon Jones has settled the Ronaldo versus Messi debate on personal grounds.

The UFC heavyweight champion told a fan in an Instagram video that he picks Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi, citing a friendship the two have maintained through direct messages on the platform. "I'm going with Ronaldo, all day, 'cause Ronaldo writes to me," Jones said, per Sherdog. "We have an open dialogue on Instagram. We DM each other every once in a while. So, I have a good relationship with Ronaldo. Gotta go with my friend."

Ronaldo's MMA connections run deep

Jones is not Ronaldo's only contact in combat sports. The Portuguese striker maintains regular communication with former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and holds a stake in Ilia Topuria's promotion, The Way of the Warrior. Ronaldo attended UFC Fight Night in Riyadh to support Russian fighter Sharabutdin Magomedov before his bout against Michael Page, even visiting Magomedov at the Al-Nassr training ground ahead of the card.

Ronaldo's 2026 World Cup run ended when Portugal fell to Spain 1-0 in the Round of 16. The tournament is widely expected to be his last on the international stage.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — The GOAT? Jon Jones picks Ronaldo over Messi because of their Instagram DMs