Watch: When Jon Jones knocked out his sparring partner during a training session

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has never been known to possess one-punch knockout power. One of the major concerns surrounding his venture into the heavyweight division is a potential power discrepancy. However, it does not seem to be a valid concern as an old clip shows Jones doing the unthinkable.

Uploaded on the YouTube channel patricklandond1, the nine-year-old video shows Jon Jones knockout his partner with one clean hook during a sparring session. The clip is a part of the documentary film 'The Proving Grounds', which delves into the practices of Jackson Wink MMA, the Albuquerque-based gym that has produced legendary fighters like Jon Jones, Carlos Condit, Diego Sanchez, and Holly Holm.

Jon Jones (26-1-1NC MMA, 20-1-1NC UFC) is hailed by many as the greatest Mixed Martial Artist of all time. 10 out of Jones's 26 professional MMA wins have come by way of KO/TKO. However, the former champ has never displayed one-punch knockout power in his career. Most of Jon Jones's knockout wins were a result of cumulative damage or kicks.

Following his controversial win over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020, Jon Jones vacated the light heavyweight title and announced a move up to heavyweight. The UFC promised the former champ a shot at the title in his divisional debut. However, the relationship between Jon Jones and the UFC has been severely affected over fighter pay in recent times.

Jon Jones's future in the UFC is uncertain at the moment

Jon Jones took time off from the completion to prepare his body for the heavyweight division. However, Jones demanded higher pay to compete against Francis Ngannou immediately after the latter's title win at UFC 260. Exasperated by the UFC's refusal, Jones has launched several attacks on the promotion through social media.

In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, UFC president Dana White stated that the promotion has moved on from the idea of making Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou. White also added that Derrick Lewis will be the next challenger to the heavyweight title. The feud between the UFC and Jon Jones remains unsettled.

While speaking to journalists during UFC 262 post-fight press conference earlier, Dana White put the ball in Jon Jones's court by hinting that the UFC will no longer try to convince Jon Jones to come back to competition, essentially putting the prospects of the former champ's return in jeopardy. Dana White stated:

“There’s fights available. They’re here. I’m going to keep making fights every weekend, doing fights. If Jon Jones wants to fight, he can, if he doesn’t, he doesn’t have to. Nobody’s going to force Jon Jones to fight. He’s had a great run. He’s got an incredible legacy. I personally see him as the GOAT."