Play-by-play UFC commentator, Jon Anik, recently featured on the first-ever episode of UFC Fight Check. He made several revelations including who he thinks is the greatest MMA fighter in the world. Moreover, he also revealed that his UFC career has multiple connections and similarities to Jon Jones’ UFC career.
45-year-old Anik, who started his career as an anchor for ESPN, named three fighters when he was asked about the MMA GOAT. He talked about Khabib Nurmagomedov’s unbeaten 29-0 record, Georges St-Pierre’s legacy, and Jon Jones’ extraordinary career. However, according to Anik, Jones’ fighting skills are unmatched. Anik believes Jones is the MMA GOAT.
He proclaimed, “The best mixed martial arts athlete I have ever seen is Jon ‘Bones’ Jones.” Upon making this proclamation, Anik dived into the details of how his and Jones’ UFC careers aligned.
Jon Anik’s first-ever live UFC event was Jon Jones’ UFC debut
Jon Anik revealed that when he attended his first live UFC event, he was covering it for ESPN. Jones made his debut during that event. Anik said, “The first UFC live-event I ever attended was UFC 87 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was there covering the event for ESPN and that was the night upon which Jon Jones made his UFC debut against André Gusmão”
@TheSocial360 @TargetCenterMN First UFC show I attended was UFC 87 in 2008. Excited to get back to Minneapolis.
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) July 27, 2012
Moreover, another connection mentioned by Anik was when he was offered a job by the UFC. “The night the UFC offered me a job was actually in New Jersey, the night that Jon Jones broke through and beat Shogun Rua [Maurício Rua] to become the champion.”
He mentioned how on the same day that Jones won his first UFC title, the fighter had caught a robbery suspect by sprinting after him.
“My day started by interviewing Jon Jones in his hotel room after he had foiled a robbery and my day ended with my now boss Craig Borsari offering me a job backstage to call fights for the combat sports leader.”
🗓️ On this day in 2011, Jon Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history (23 years, 242 days) when he stopped Shogun Rua at UFC 128 👏
Jon “Bones” Jones record still stands more than a decade later 🤯
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) March 20, 2024
Jones defeated Rua at UFC 128 to become the youngest-ever UFC champion at 23 years of age. After 11 successful title defenses, which involved him being stripped of the title due to testing positive for illegal substances and him winning the title back, Jones moved to the heavyweight division. He is currently, the UFC Heavyweight Champion.
Jon Anik reveals his preferred nickname, walkout song, and more if he was a UFC fighter
If Anik was on the other side of the cage, he would have liked his nickname to be Anaconda. However, a witty twist he would add is by spelling it “Anikonda”. His fighter name would be “The Anikonda” Jon Anik. Seems like Anik has surely thought about this before.
Further, he was asked what walkout song he would prefer as a fighter. Jon Anik responded with Break Your Neck by Buster Rhymes but the “clean version, ideally.”
Jon Anik also revealed who would be his three cornermen if he was fighting in the cage. Firstly, he would want coach Sayif Saud of Fortis MMA. He has been in the corners of fighters such as flyweight Brandon Moreno. Next, he would want his podcast partner Kenny Florian, as according to Anik, he has “as sharp an MMA mind as I think there is.” Last but not least, Anik would want “Dominick Cruz without question” in his corner.