Jon Jones

Jon "Bones" Jones reigns as the heavyweight champion of the UFC as of April 2025. He holds the record for being the youngest UFC champion in the company's history. Jones also has numerous UFC records to his name in the light heavyweight class, including the longest winning streak, most championship defenses, and most victories.

Jones returned to the octagon on March 4, 2023, in a high-stakes vacant heavyweight title bout against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. He won the championship via submission in the first round.

Jon Jones Personal Information

Jon Jones Early Life and Career

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Jon Jones career in UFC

Jon Jones debuted in a short-notice fight against Andre Gusmao at UFC 87 in 2008. He would secure a unanimous decision victory to continue his winning streak. The American defeated Stephan Bonnar and Jake O'Brien before fighting Matt Hamill at the finale of the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter on December 5, 2009. He suffered his first loss in the fight after delivering 12-6 elbows, considered illegal back then, causing Hamill's shoulder to dislocate, forcing the referee to end the fight in Hamill's favor.

Jones returned from his loss by TKO'ing Brandon Vera and then Vladimir Matyushenko before getting his first big-name opponent in the form of Ryan Bader at UFC 126. Jones won the fight in the second round by guillotine choke submission. Jon fought Mauricio Shogun Rua a month later on March 19, 2011, for the UFC light heavyweight championship. Jones dominated Shogun throughout the fight and secured a TKO in the third round after hitting a flying knee to become the youngest UFC champion in the company's history.

Jones was scheduled to fight Rashad Evans at UFC 133, but the bout got canceled due to Jon's hand injury. Jones instead made his first title defense against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135, where he submitted the challenger in the fourth round via a rear-naked choke.

Jones dominated the light heavyweight division and defeated the likes of Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Alexander Gustafsson, Glover Teixeira, and Daniel Cormier before getting stripped of the title and being put off competition for a year.

Jones returned at UFC 197, fighting Ovince Siant Preux for the interim UFC light heavyweight championship after Daniel Cormier pulled out of the fight due to a foot injury. Jon Jones's rematch against Cormier was scheduled for UFC 200. Still, the fight got canceled due to USADA pulling up Jones for a potential doping violation and Jones getting a 1-year suspension from the commission and being stripped of the interim title. In December, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Jones for a year.

Jones returned to the UFC at UFC 214 and took on Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight championship. He would win the fight via TKO (head kick and punches), but the result was overturned to a no-contest after Jones tested positive for Turinabol metabolite. He then fought Alexander Gustaffson for the vacant UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 232. He won the fight in the third round via ground and pound to become a two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He then defended the title against Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes before taking a hiatus and returning to make his debut in the heavyweight division.

Jones was welcomed to the heavyweight division by Ciryl Gane on March 4, 2023, at UFC 285, where he won the fight via submission. The fight took place at UFC 285 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, United States. Jones made his first successful title defense in the heavyweight division against the former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 on November 16, 2024, by beating him via a third-round TKO.

Jon Jones Record

As of April 18, 2025, Jon Jones flexes a remarkable professional mixed martial arts record of 28 wins, one loss, and one no contest. He has secured 11 victories by knockout, seven wins by submission, and has defeated 10 of his rivals by decision. Jones' only loss to date has come via disqualification.

Jon Jones Most Popular Fights

Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2

Jon Jones fought Daniel Cormier for a second time at UFC 214 to unify the UFC light heavyweight championship. Like the first encounter, Jones got the better of Cormier as he outstruck the champion 95-60 in significant strikes and won the first two rounds of the fight. The fight ended in the third round when Jon Jones TKO'ed Cormier to become a two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. The decision was later overturned to a no contest because Jones tested positive for Turinabol metabolite, and Cormier would be reinstated as champion.

Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2

Jon Jones fought Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship. He dominated Gustafsson both on the ground and feet and landed 63 strikes as opposed to Gustafsson, who could only manage 24 strikes during the entire fight. The fight ended in the third round after Jones got control and started punching Gustaffson to finish him via KO (punches) to become the UFC light heavyweight champion.

Jon Jones vs Dominick Reyes

Jon Jones fought Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 for the UFC light heavyweight championship. Reyes won the first round unanimously but then would go on to lose the next four rounds on the judges' scorecard, with the second and third rounds being won by Jones via split decision and the fourth and fifth going unanimously in the champion's favor. The more aggressive Dominick would fall short, as Jon Jones won the fight via a controversial unanimous decision despite landing fewer strikes on the challenger. This would be Jon's last title defense, as he would relinquish his title in August 2020 to prepare for a move to the heavyweight division.

Related: Jon Jones Next Fight

Last updated on April 18, 2025