Jon "Bones" Jones is the new heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. 'Bones' holds the record for being the youngest UFC Champion in the company's history. He also has numerous UFC records in the light heavyweight class, including the longest winning streak, most championship defenses, and most victories.
Jon Jones made his UFC return on March 4, 2023, against Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title bout at UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane. Jones won the championship via submission in the first round.
Born on July 19, 1997, in Rochester, New York, Jon Jones got into combat sports in high school, where he was a wrestler and later became a state champion in upstate New York. Along with this, Jon also won the National Judo Championship while attending college. He would eventually drop out of college to start his MMA career. Jones became a professional and debuted in April of 2008 against Brad Bernard at Untamed 20, where he would win via TKO (punches) in the first round. He had a perfect record of 6-0 before he signed with the UFC.
Jon Jones debuted in a short-notice fight against Andre Gusmao at UFC 87 in 2008. Jones would secure a unanimous decision victory to continue his winning streak. He defeated Stephan Bonnar and Jake O'Brien before fighting Matt Hamill at The finale of the tenth season of the Ultimate Fighter. Jon suffered his first loss here as he connected with illegal 12-6 elbows 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 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. Jone 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.
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 stripped of the interim title. In December, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Jon for a year.
He made his UFC return at UFC 214 against Cormier for the Light Heavyweight Championship. Jon would win the fight via TKO (Head Kick and Punches), but the result was overturned to a No-Contest after Jon tested positive for Turinabol metabolite. Jon 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 vacating it to prepare to move to the Heavyweight Division.
Jon Jones made his heavyweight debut on March 4, 2023, against Ciryl Gane and won the fight via submission. The fight occurred for UFC 285 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, United States.
Listed below is the MMA professional record of Jon Jones:
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 2-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 fought Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Jones dominated Gustafsson both on the ground and the feet and landed 63 strikes as opposed to Gustafsson, who could only manage 24 strikes during the entire fight. They ended in the third round after Jones got control and started punching Gustaffson to finish him via TKO(punches) to become a 2-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
Jon Jones fought Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Dominick 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 champions' 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.
In 2015, Jon Jones had his UFC light heavyweight championship belt taken from him due to a hit-and-run incident. Jones's interim UFC light heavyweight title was also taken away from him in 2016 due to failed PED testing.
Yes, Jon Jones is one of the wealthiest mixed martial artists in the world. As of October 2022, his estimated net worth is $3 million.
According to sources, Jones takes home a minimum of $500,000 per fight.
*Last updated on March 5, 2023
