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#1. Jon Jones
At one point, it seemed as though Jon Jones would be remembered in the same vein as Muhammad Ali or Michael Jordan. Today, his name is uttered in the same breath as Lance Armstrong and Diego Maradona.
Jones seemed too good to be true - a 205er with the reach of a Heavyweight, the athleticism of a Welterweight, and a creativity and maturity beyond his years. After beating undefeated Andre Gusmao on two weeks notice in his UFC debut, there was no looking back for Jones. He became the youngest champion in UFC history at 23 and none of his challengers had an answer for him. But Bones' most dangerous opponent was inside his own head.
The trappings of success at such a young age were evident as early as 2012, when an inebriated Jones totalled his $190,000 Bentley. Amidst all the fanfare at UFC 182, it was reported that cocaine metabolites had been found in Jones' pre-fight drug test. But this was pre-USADA and that specific substance wasn't banned by WADA when detected in out-of-competition samples. Jones was fined $25,000 and spent one night in rehab. His abnormally low testosterone/epitestosterone ratio before the fight raised suspicion of him using PEDs.
Jones was stripped of his title and spent over a year away from the sport because of the infamous 2015 hit-and-run incident. It was announced that he would rematch Cormier at UFC 197, but an injury to the latter would turn his vaunted return anticlimactic. Ovince St. Preux, who stepped in on a few weeks notice, was swept by Jones in a five-rounder.
Just a few days before what promised to be an electric rematch at UFC 200, Jones tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended for a year. The much overdue rematch finally happened at UFC 214 this July. Jones proved dominant by becoming the first man to stop Daniel Cormier and reclaimed his precious crown. When he called out Brock Lesnar, the fans erupted and we're sure the UFC boardroom did too.
A few weeks after his moment of glory, it was reported that Jones had tested positive for an anabolic steroid. Daniel Cormier was reinstated as champion and fans who had received the Prodigal Son with open arms were swift in labelling him a cheat.
If found guilty, Jones could be suspended for four years. But as Joe Rogan theorized, it is still possible for him to make a return at 34, at Heavyweight, nonetheless.
