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Jon Jones

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Jonathan Dwight Jones is a former professional mixed martial artist from the United States.

John Jones kick
John Jones kick

He is widely considered one of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. Jones competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, also known as the UFC, from 2008 until 2025. During his career, he competed in two different weight classes. These were the Light Heavyweight division and the Heavyweight division. He achieved massive success by winning titles in both of these categories. He is the eighth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two different weight classes. He is also the fourth fighter to successfully defend titles in two different divisions.

Jones used a wide variety of techniques to win his matches. He was a highly skilled wrestler, which helped him control where his fights took place. He also used striking, which involves hitting an opponent with hands or feet. Jones was famous for using unorthodox striking moves. These included spinning elbows and spinning back kicks. He was also very effective at using submissions to end a fight. A submission occurs when a fighter uses a hold to make an opponent give up. For example, he often used a guillotine choke to win matches.

His journey to the top began with a strong foundation in wrestling. Jones attended Union-Endicott High School in Endicott, New York. As a high school wrestler, he was very successful. In 2004, he won the Northeast Junior Greco-Roman Regional Championship at 189 pounds. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at that event. In 2005, he won the NYSPHSAA Division I state title at the same weight. He also earned the title of an NHSCA Senior All-American. Because of his slight frame, his football coach gave him the nickname "Bones."

Jones moved from high school wrestling to college wrestling and then to professional fighting. He won a NJCAA wrestling national championship while attending Iowa Central Community College. After transferring to Morrisville State College to study Criminal Justice, he left college to start his MMA career. He made his professional debut in April 2008. He won his first six professional fights by finishing his opponents. In his final fight before joining the UFC, he won the USKBA Light Heavyweight Championship. He won that fight via a technical knockout, or TKO, in the second round.

His rise in the UFC was very fast. He made his UFC debut in August 2008 against André Gusmão. He won that fight by a unanimous decision. In March 2011, Jones faced Maurício "Shogun" Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Jones won by TKO in the third round. This victory made him the youngest champion in the history of the UFC at age 23.

He went on to defend this title many times. He holds the UFC records for the most title defenses and the most wins in the light heavyweight division. He also holds the record for the longest winning streak in that division.

Despite his skill, Jones's career included significant challenges and controversies. Between 2015 and 2017, he lost his light heavyweight title three times due to disciplinary actions. In 2015, the UFC stripped him of his title after an arrest involving felony hit-and-run charges. He also faced suspensions after testing positive for banned substances. These events caused long breaks in his career. During these difficult times, Jones also faced personal loss. His sister, Carmen, died of a brain tumor before she turned 18. His mother, Camille, passed away in 2017 after battling diabetes.

Jon Jones - UFC 100 Fan Expo - Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas
Jon Jones - UFC 100 Fan Expo - Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas

Jones eventually returned to peak performance in the heavyweight division. After spending three years away from mixed martial arts, he returned in 2023. He defeated Ciryl Gane to win the UFC Heavyweight title. He later defended this title against Stipe Miocic. He held the heavyweight championship until his retirement in 2025.

Jon Jones, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Glover Teixeira in 2014
Jon Jones, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Glover Teixeira in 2014

Throughout much of his career, Jones was the top-ranked fighter in the world. He spent a record 1,743 days as the UFC's number one pound-for-pound fighter. This ranking shows how dominant he was regardless of the weight class he fought in.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Jon "Bones" Jones & Glen "Big Baby" Davis.jpg
Jon "Bones" Jones & Glen "Big Baby" Davis.jpg
File:John Jones kick.gif
John Jones kick.gif
File:Jake Mattews & Jon Jones.jpg
Jake Mattews & Jon Jones.jpg
File:USMC-101022-M-6664G-732.jpg
USMC-101022-M-6664G-732.jpg
File:Jon Jones, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Glover Teixeira in 2014.jpg
Jon Jones, Lorenzo Fertitta, and Glover...
File:Jon Jones - UFC 100 Fan Expo - Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas.jpg
Jon Jones - UFC 100 Fan Expo - Mandalay...
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