Jon Jones backs Ronaldo over Messi after the pair exchange regular Instagram DMs

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has declared Cristiano Ronaldo his football GOAT, citing a personal reason that has nothing to do with trophies or statistics: the two men regularly exchange Instagram DMs.

Jones (28-1), asked by a fan to choose between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, made his allegiance clear without hesitation. “I’m going with Ronaldo, all day, ‘cause Ronaldo writes to me,” Jones said in an Instagram video. “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.”

Jones is not the only fighter in Ronaldo’s orbit. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward also maintains regular contact with Khabib Nurmagomedov and holds a stake in Ilia Topuria’s MMA promotion, The Way of the Warrior, signalling a genuine and sustained interest in the sport.

Ronaldo’s connection to MMA extended beyond social media when he attended a UFC Fight Night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, taking a cageside seat to support his friend Sharabutdin Magomedov ahead of the Russian’s bout against Michael Page. In the build-up to the fight, Ronaldo also visited Magomedov at the Al-Nassr training ground in a show of personal support.

On the football front, Ronaldo’s international career appears to be entering its final chapter. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is widely expected to be his last, though Portugal’s campaign ended earlier than hoped — the side were eliminated in the Round of 16 following a 1-0 defeat to Spain.