Jon Jones glad McGregor lost: 'It's a good thing he was humbled'

Jon Jones believes Conor McGregor's first UFC loss will be good for him in the long run.

The Irishman's aura of invincibility was dispelled after submitting to Nate Diaz at UFC 196, but Jones thinks McGregor's ambition was beginning to get out of control.

"A part of me thinks it's a good thing he was humbled," Jones said recently according to Anton Tabuena of Bloody Elbow. "Right before he lost, he was getting into conversations about fighting anybody, anywhere, saying things like I could beat anybody, any weight class they're in.

"I was getting fans writing me messages asking 'How would you do against McGregor?' I was like 'C'mon guys, you can't be serious. I'm a 220-pound, nine-time world champion. You really think he'd even be a match?' Some people really believed that he can beat anyone at any weight class.

"So I'm glad that it happened. It allowed the fans to have that reality check, that alright, maybe that guy isn't unbeatable - stuff that us professional fighters knew the whole time."

Even Jones himself has an official loss on his record, a controversial disqualification for using illegal downward elbows against Matt Hamill in 2009 in a fight Jones was dominating.

Jones went on to win his next 12 fights and he predicted McGregor will bounce back in similar fashion.

"Then another side of me, is glad to see him lose, because I'm positive this is actually going to bring out the best in him," Jones said. "After defeat, you really start closing holes in your game, you start questioning your training to become better.

"As a fan of McGregor, I want to see him have longevity in this sport. Guys like Conor McGregor, they symbolize our sport's future. Conor McGregor is getting fans from all over the world, who tune in and actually don't watch the UFC, they just watch Conor fight. We need guys like Conor McGregor to be successful."