Former Jackson Wink general manager Mikhail Lyubimov shared a series of behind-the-scenes revelations about the gym's biggest names. Jon Jones famously dominated all sparring partners including Jiri Prochazka and heavyweight fighters, yet never remembered them afterward, while Roman Dolidge was pushed out of the gym by Jones himself after proving too competitive. Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn are described as burned out — Jackson frequently absent and Winkeljohn increasingly disengaged and focused on real estate. Claressa Shields' MMA transition failed because she was too lazy to train wrestling and grappling, despite dominating everyone in boxing including men. Cub Swanson permanently left Jackson Wink after Arman Ospanov broke his ribs with a spinning kick.
Former Jackson Wink general manager Mikhail Lyubimov has gone public with a string of candid revelations about the celebrated Albuquerque gym, detailing how some of the sport's biggest names trained, clashed, and ultimately parted ways with the storied facility.
At the center of the disclosures is Jon Jones, the 38-year-old heavyweight who stands six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach and carries a 28-1-0 professional record. According to Lyubimov, Jones dominated every sparring partner who came through the gym, including light heavyweight contenders and even larger heavyweights, yet rarely retained any memory of those sessions afterward. Among those he reportedly outclassed was Jiri Prochazka, the hard-hitting Czech orthodox striker currently ranked second in the light heavyweight division with a 32-6-1 record. Prochazka, who lands 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, is regarded as one of the division's most dangerous fighters, making the account notable.
Lyubimov also claims Jones effectively pushed Roman Dolidze out of the gym after the Georgian fighter proved too competitive in sparring. Dolidze, now 37 and ranked twelfth at middleweight on a 15-5-0 record, was described as giving Jones more trouble than was welcome.
The former GM's account extends to the gym's leadership, describing co-founders Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn as increasingly disengaged, with Jackson frequently absent and Winkeljohn shifting his attention toward real estate ventures.
On the women's side, Lyubimov attributed boxing champion Claressa Shields' failed MMA transition to an unwillingness to commit to wrestling and grappling training, even as she reportedly dominated everyone in the gym on the feet, including male sparring partners. Cub Swanson's permanent departure from Jackson Wink is attributed to a sparring injury, with Arman Ospanov allegedly breaking Swanson's ribs with a spinning kick.
Why it matters
- Jones' sparring dominance over a ranked light heavyweight like Prochazka adds context to his long-standing gym reputation
- Dolidze's removal raises questions about how internal gym politics shape fighters' career trajectories
- The picture of Jackson and Winkeljohn stepping back raises uncertainty about the gym's future direction and its ability to develop and retain elite talent
