Craig Jones recalls Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov's UFC 322 banter

Craig Jones, regarded as one of mixed martial arts' premier submission specialists, has recalled a playful exchange with Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov following UFC 322. Jones, who has built a reputation for work in jiu-jitsu camps alongside Australian fighters preparing for bouts against elite wrestlers, found himself in the Dagestani duo's crosshairs after Terrance Della Maddalena's performance against Makhachev.

During the fight itself, Makhachev—aware of Jones's involvement with Della Maddalena's camp—began shouting at the Australian grappler from his corner, taunting him with "Where is your jiu-jitsu now?" Jones, speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, explained his response: he internally noted that Makhachev had failed to secure a submission, meaning his game plan had succeeded. After the bout, Makhachev approached him cordially, but was soon joined by his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, who rattled off a list of fighters trained by Jones who had lost to Makhachev—naming Alexander Volkanovski, Dan Hooker, and Jack Della Maddalena.

Jones clarified that he had not actually coached Hooker, reducing Khabib's scorecard to two legitimate examples. He described the exchange as light-hearted, noting that Makhachev seemed to possess a better sense of humour than his mentor. Jones added that Volkanovski has been trying to arrange a future training camp where he could work alongside the Dagestani contingent, suggesting the rivalry, while genuinely competitive, exists largely in good spirits.