Jon Jones issues surprising take on potentially overturning sole loss on record despite 12-6 elbows being legalized

Jon Jones wants to own the only blemish on his record rather than erase it. Years after the disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009 that handed him the sole loss on his record, Jones isn’t asking for it to be overturned.

Even with 12-to-6 elbows now legal in the UFC, he doesn’t want the loss against Hamill wiped from the books. It was a mistake under the rules at the time, and Jones is standing by it.

That loss came in 2009 in a fight he was dominating. The disqualification sparked years of debate, and fans called it unfair. But Jones has no interest in rewriting the past to create a cleaner legacy. Speaking in a recent episode of the DeepCut with VicBlends, he said:

"The promoter in me says that that 1 should be removed from my record (28-1); that way, I could be truly marketed as an undefeated fighter. But the athlete in me knows that rules are rules, and at the time when I was disqualified, 12-to-6 elbows were illegal. So I broke the rule, and I paid the cost."

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As of today, Jones holds a 28-1 (one no contest) professional MMA record with 18 finishes. The reigning UFC heavyweight champion is seemingly in talks with the UFC for a unification bout against interim champion Tom Aspinall next.

Jon Jones explains his coaching role opposite Nate Diaz in Thailand

Jon Jones recently took on a coaching role opposite Nate Diaz for a Russian reality show filmed in Thailand, modeled after The Ultimate Fighter. The setup promised fireworks, but Diaz and his team exited early after a full-blown brawl erupted on set.

Jones stayed behind to continue filming. Despite the chaos, there was no bad blood. He treated the show as a platform to mentor fighters. Speaking about working with the younger Diaz brother, he said:

“I don’t look at it as a rivalry. I’m honored to be here with Nate Diaz. I’ve always been a fan of Nate Diaz. He’s an absolute legend in the sport. Him and his brother are legends. The way I look at it is, I’m coming out here to try to motivate the boys, to inspire the boys, try to teach them something new, and just share with the guys. Ultimately, whether one of my guys wins or Nate’s guys win, I feel like we all win, because we get to know each other, we get to be together, and share something that we all enjoy.”

Check out Jon Jones' comments below (16:15):

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar