It’s safe to say Jon Jones was far from pleased with Kamaru Usman’s take on a potential grappling clash with Brock Lesnar. For those unfamiliar, ‘The Beast’ appeared to close the curtain on a remarkable 24-year professional wrestling career at WrestleMania 42, where he lost the opening match of Night 2 to Oba Femi in what felt like a symbolic passing-of-the-torch moment.
Following the bout, Lesnar removed his gloves and boots, an iconic gesture signaling retirement, and shared an emotional embrace with his longtime manager, Paul Heyman. Amid the buzz, RAF Wrestling owner Chad Bronstein expressed interest in staging a grappling match between Lesnar and Jones. The idea quickly ignited debate across the combat sports world, with Usman firmly backing Lesnar if the matchup ever comes to fruition.
Kamaru Usman says Brock Lesnar would defeat Jon Jones in wrestling
“Hypothetically, if I had to pick, I would just say the sheer size of Brock Lesnar. I would have to go with Brock, even though Jon, I think Jon is probably going to be a little more offensive. I just think those… pic.twitter.com/T8TzBUtq7U
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 23, 2026
ALSO READ: Tyron Woodley Shockingly Claims Gable Steveson Is Ready To Dethrone Tom Aspinall
Speaking on a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman suggested that Lesnar’s sheer size and aggressive wrestling would be overwhelming for Jones on the ground. It’s a viewpoint rooted in Lesnar’s credentials as he’s a former NCAA Division I national champion, having won gold in 2000 while representing the University of Minnesota, and his MMA success was largely built on his dominant ground game.
However, Jones doesn’t seem to agree with that assessment at all. Responding to Usman on his Instagram Stories, the former two-division UFC champion didn’t hold back. Confident as ever, Jones claimed he would not only defeat Brock Lesnar but also beat Usman on the very same night. He wrote, “@Usman84KG I’m getting my hand raised against you and Brock in the same night (angry emoji).”
Jones’ bold stance is backed by his own accomplished wrestling pedigree. A former standout at Iowa Central Community College, he built a strong grappling foundation early in his career. That base translated seamlessly into MMA, where Jones compiled one of the most dominant resumes in UFC history, highlighted by 16 title fight victories and wins over nine former champions.
Notably, this isn’t the first time Jones and Lesnar have been linked. Following his win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214, Jones famously called out Lesnar in his post-fight interview, challenging him despite a roughly 40-pound weight difference.
There’s also a shared chapter of controversy between the two. Around UFC 200 in 2016, Jones was removed from his scheduled bout against Cormier after failing a test administered by USADA. Meanwhile, Lesnar’s victory over Mark Hunt was later overturned to a no-contest after he failed multiple tests leading up to the fight.
With both men now out of active MMA competition, the possibility of a grappling superfight remains speculative, but undeniably intriguing. Whether RAF Wrestling can bring it to life is uncertain, but the matchup continues to fuel debate among fans and fighters alike.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.