Former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones did not retire to avoid fighting Tom Aspinall, says Ilia Topuria.
Britain's Aspinall was upgraded from interim to undisputed heavyweight champion this week after Jones, 37, announced his exit from the sport.
Jones' retirement followed seven months of the American not committing to fighting 32-year-old Aspinall in a unification bout.
Spain's Topuria, who faces Brazilian Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title at UFC 317 in Las Vegas on Saturday, says Jones did not "duck" a fight with Aspinall.
"No, no, no, no, no. Jones fought the best of all time. In the last 10 years he fought the best fighters in the world. He's not ducking anyone," Topuria told BBC Sport.
"I think that he could retire whenever he wants. He has done amazing things in the sport. He's let's say, the best to ever do it. So I think he took a good decision. He's the GOAT [greatest of all time]."
Jones is a former light-heavyweight champion and widely considered one of, if not the best, MMA fighters of all time.
He has an overall record of 28 wins, one loss and one no-contest, and holds the record for most title-fight wins in the UFC with 16.
