Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Bo Nickal responds to Jon Jones’ ‘99.47% of you’ claim with a challenge of his own

Originally posted on HITC | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 11:34 AM ET

Jon Jones recently took to social media to address questions about his health, offering a bit of insight into how he’s managing things these days.

Joe Rogan had earlier mentioned that he’d helped Jones get stem cell treatment for arthritis in his hip – something the former champion spoke about without realising he was being recorded.

Jones then used social media to clarify that while the condition does cause him some pain, it doesn’t stop him from still being one of the baddest men on the planet.

The post drew a response from Sean Strickland, who, unlike ‘Bones’, is actually scheduled to compete soon – at an event taking place on the White House lawn in June.

Strickland responds to Jones’ post on social media

The two fighters have exchanged words before, but this latest interaction seemed more light-hearted than anything personal. Strickland joked about Jon Jones’s history of out-of-cage incidents, referencing one in particular involving a hit-and-run back in 2015 that resulted in a felony charge for Jones. He quipped:

While there were jokes made in this exchange, it’s worth noting how different their current paths are. Strickland is preparing for an unprecedented fight on White House grounds, but has been sidelined since late 2023 due to injury. There’s currently no clear timeline for when or if he’ll return to action anytime soon.

Jon Jones called out by Bo Nickal on social media

Dana White recently stated that Jon Jones is retired due to his hip issues, which is why he won’t be participating in the White House card this summer.

While Jones still backs himself to beat most people in a fight, Nickal appears eager to test that belief.

The middleweight contender replied directly to the post, tagging Jones and asking: “Best 2/3 takedowns right now me vs you, who wins?”

It didn’t take long for Nickal to draw attention in the MMA world. Just one win as a professional earned him a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2022.

A three-time NCAA Division I national champion and former Dan Hodge Trophy winner, Nickal came into MMA with serious wrestling credentials. Even though he hasn’t hit those heights yet in MMA, his skill set still makes him a standout prospect.

Jones may not have the same formal wrestling background, but he has built a reputation as one of the best grapplers ever seen inside the Octagon. Even when he doesn’t use his grappling aggressively, his defensive numbers are impressive—boasting a takedown defence rate of 95% over 24 UFC fights.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: