Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev are in the middle of an online back and forth that has quickly turned into a legacy argument, according to Sherdog. The two have been trading shots on social media, with the exchange escalating into something more personal than the usual pre fight trash talk since there is no fight actually booked between them.

The timing is notable given where Makhachev sits right now. He is reportedly the current welterweight champion. That win keeps him unbeaten in a run our Elo model rates at 1629 across his last seven bouts, a number that reflects just how dominant his recent stretch has been across two divisions.

Jones, for his part, has long been considered by many to be the greatest fighter of his era, and any conversation that puts his name next to Makhachev's inevitably turns into a debate about who actually deserves that label. That is exactly what seems to be happening here, with both men apparently unwilling to let the other have the last word.

The exchange has not gone unnoticed by fans. A thread on r/MMA specifically points to Makhachev firing back at Jones, and it is generating plenty of discussion about what each man is actually trying to prove.

Nothing here suggests an actual fight is close to happening, the two compete in different weight classes and neither has hinted at a matchup. But with Makhachev reportedly fresh off a decision win as champion and Jones still looming over every greatest of all time conversation, the war of words alone is enough to get people talking about how the sport ranks its all time greats.