Jonathan Dwight Jones, born on July 19, 1987, is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed from 2008 to 2025. He was a champion in both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23. He holds many UFC records in the Light Heavyweight division, including the most title defenses, most wins, and longest win streak. He is also the only fighter to beat five former UFC champions in a row.
Jones was often seen as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, holding the #1 spot for a record 1,743 days. Jones was never knocked out or outscored in his career. His only professional loss was a disqualification against Matt Hamill.
Early Life and Wrestling Career
Jones was born on July 19, 1987, in Rochester, New York. His father, Arthur, is a pastor at Mount Sinai Church of God in Christ in Binghamton, New York. Arthur discouraged Jon's fighting career, expressing a desire for him to pursue preaching instead.
Before MMA, Jones was a top high school wrestler and also played football. His coach nicknamed him "Bones" because he was thin. In 2004, Jones won a regional championship and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. In 2005, he won the New York State Championship and was honored as an All-American.
Jones attended Iowa Central Community College, where he won the NJCAA National Championship and helped his team win the overall championship.
Read also: Aspinall-Jones Dream Matchup
Early MMA Career
Jones made his professional MMA debut in April 2008. He amassed an undefeated record of 6-0 over a period of three months, finishing all of his opponents.
Jones made his UFC debut against André Gusmão at UFC 87 on August 9, 2008. In his second UFC match, Jones took on veteran Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 on January 31, 2009. Jones's third fight was against Jake O'Brien at UFC 100 on July 11, 2009.
On December 5, 2009, Jones fought fellow light heavyweight prospect Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale. Jones used his wrestling to dominate Hamill but was disqualified for the use of illegal 12-6 elbows. The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts prohibited downward elbow strikes, and Jones was initially only penalized a point from the round. However, Hamill was unable to continue due to his dislocated shoulder. Consequently, the replay simulation was reviewed, and showed that Jones's elbows further damaged Hamill's already bloody and lacerated nose.
Jones fought Brandon Vera on March 21, 2010, at UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones. Jones defeated former IFL Light Heavyweight Champion Vladimir Matyushenko by TKO with elbows in 1:52 of the first round on August 1, 2010, at UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko.
Dana White promised Jones a "huge step-up in the competition" if he managed to defeat Matyushenko. Following the match with Matyushenko, White said, "Vladimir Matyushenko is a guy who I have a lot of respect for and I didn't think it was going to happen that easy. Jones is the real deal and he just catapulted himself tonight into the top eight in the world. Tonight solidified it. ... He's got to keep his head together, stay focused and keep doing all the right things in training. He's smart, good looking and bad-ass.
Read also: Jones' MMA Dominance
After defeating Matyushenko, Jones stated that he wanted a "top-three opponent" for his next fight. Jones mentioned in an interview with Inside MMA that he would be facing the winner of Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. White soon confirmed that Jones would face the undefeated Ultimate Fighter winner Ryan Bader, on February 5, 2011, at UFC 126.
Jones handed Bader his first professional loss by defeating him via submission due to a guillotine choke in the second round after dominating Bader in the first round. Immediately after the bout with Bader, it was revealed that title contender and Jones's training partner Rashad Evans had sustained a knee injury in training and would not be able to compete in his scheduled match with UFC light heavyweight champion Maurício "Shogun" Rua. Jones was told by Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview that he would replace Evans in the fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
On March 19, 2011, at UFC 128, Jones defeated Rua by TKO at 2:37 of Round 3, becoming the youngest ever UFC champion. After an early flying knee that badly hurt the champion, Shogun was dominated throughout the three rounds.
Championship Reign and Title Defenses
Jones's first title defense was expected to be on August 6, 2011, at UFC 133 against Rashad Evans, his former friend and teammate, but Jones was sidelined with a hand injury. It was initially announced that the hand injury would require surgery, but Jones opted for rest and rehabilitation without surgery after further consultations with doctors.
Jones's injury was originally thought to keep him out of action until late 2011, but he instead made his first title defense against Quinton Jackson on September 24, 2011, at UFC 135. Jones defeated Jackson via rear naked choke submission at 1:14 in the 4th round. In the process, he became the first UFC fighter to submit Jackson.
Read also: "Jon Bones" Jones Career Overview
Jones vs. Jones's decision to decline the fight against Sonnen was criticized by UFC president Dana White, who said, "This is one of the most selfish, disgusting decisions that doesn't just affect you. This is affecting 16 other lives, their families, kids are going back to school. The list goes on and on of all the things, the money that was spent for fighters to train and the list goes on and on. "it was not the finish that's the story of this evening.
Jones was chosen to coach opposite Chael Sonnen on Season 17 of the Ultimate Fighter. Jones displayed a lack of interest in the bout and actively downplayed the contest, making it clear that he did not believe Sonnen was a fit contender. In an interview, Sonnen did his best to garner interest in the bout, but Jones gave him the "silent treatment" and refused to make eye contact.
Jones made quick work of his challenger, finishing Sonnen via TKO in the first round. Jones faced Alexander Gustafsson on September 21, 2013, at UFC 165. Jones was badly cut above the eye during the first round, but he won the back-and-forth fight via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, and 49-46).
Jones was expected to take on Glover Teixeira on February 1, 2014, at UFC 169. However, on October 7, UFC President Dana White stated that the announcement for this fight on that card was premature and that Jones and Teixeira would face each other on a different card. On November 13, 2013, it was announced that Jones would fight Teixeira at UFC 170, scheduled for February 22, 2014; however, the next day it was announced that the match had been removed from the card.
On December 4, 2013, it was announced that Jones and Teixeira would face each other at UFC 171 on March 15, 2014, in Dallas, Texas; however, the fight was moved again. On June 5, 2014, the UFC confirmed that the Jones vs. Gustafsson rematch would take place on September 27, 2014, at UFC 178. However, Gustafsson had to pull out of the match due to a torn meniscus. Jones was then expected to take on replacement Daniel Cormier at UFC 178.
On August 12, 2014, it was announced that Jones had sustained a leg injury in training, causing him to withdraw. The bout was rescheduled, and eventually took place on January 3, 2015, at UFC 182. Jones won the fight by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, and 49-46). He also became the first person to take Cormier down, scoring three takedowns in total. The win also earned Jones his fourth Fight of the Night bonus award. It was later revealed that Jones had failed a drug test one month prior to the event, as he tested positive for cocaine.
One Moment From Every Jon Jones Fight
Later Career and Heavyweight Championship
While on the sidelines, Jones fought retired MMA veteran Dan Henderson in a grappling match for the Submission Underground 2 tournament on December 10, 2016. After an even start, Jones eventually submitted Henderson with an arm-triangle choke six minutes into the bout.
The rematch with Daniel Cormier took place on July 29, 2017, at UFC 214 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Jones won the fight and re-captured the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship via knockout in the third round. After the fight, Jones was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus. After the fight, Jones praised Cormier as a "model champion", while recognizing his own personal failings.
On August 22, it was announced that Jones had been flagged for a potential doping violation by USADA, stemming from his sample that was collected after weigh-ins July 28. He tested positive for Turinabol, an anabolic steroid. Jones was placed on a provisional suspension as a result. On September 13, USADA confirmed that both the "A" and "B" sample of Jones's tested positive for Turinabol. As a result, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) officially overturned the result of the fight to a no contest. In September 2018, it was announced by USADA that Jones would serve a suspension of 15 months.
In the first defense of his second championship reign, Jones faced Anthony Smith on March 2, 2019, in the main event at UFC 235. Jones dominated the fight but was deducted two points in the fourth round after landing an illegal knee to Smith's head.
Jones was scheduled to defend his title against former two-time heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic on November 11, 2023, at UFC 295. However, Jones was forced to pull out due to injury after tearing a pectoral tendon. As a result, a bout for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship between Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall was scheduled for the event.
Following his title defense against Miocic, Jones expressed disinterest in fighting interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, instead calling out then UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira for a superfight.
Training and Fighting Style
At the post-fight press conference of UFC on ABC: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. Jones agreed to headline the Submission Underground 2 main event on December 10, 2016, against Dan Henderson. Jones's training emphasizes versatility, strength, and technical mastery, ensuring he remains dominant. His regimen includes a combination of wrestling drills, striking practice, grappling sessions, and high-intensity functional training, all designed to enhance his overall fight game.
To refine his striking and transitions, Jones incorporates pad work, sparring, and clinch drills into his routine. During training camps, Jones trains six days a week, balancing intense workouts with active recovery sessions. As the fight nears, he reduces the intensity to give his body time to fully recover.
Philanthropy and Personal Incidents
On March 19, 2011, Jones was en route to Great Falls Historic Park in Paterson, New Jersey, where he planned to meditate several hours ahead of his fight against Maurício "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128. He was accompanied by his coaches Mike Winkeljohn and Greg Jackson. As their driver prepared to drop them off, Jones observed an elderly couple screaming for help. The woman informed Winkeljohn that a man had smashed her car window and had run off with her GPS.
In December 2019, Jones donated and handed out $20,000 worth of coats to homeless people in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2020, Jones founded the C.A.R.E.
Jones has been criticized for repeatedly poking his opponents in the eyes. In response to the criticism, Jones released a video on Instagram in April 2014 in which he mocked fans by simulating crying and saying "Jones put his finger in his eye. When asked about the controversy, UFC president Dana White stated, "we've got to stop that stuff. The openings of the hands and putting the hands on the face are something bad, but it happens with guys who have reach. They do that a lot." White clarified his position in another interview, saying, "It's not just taller fighters. Jones has that range and he can do it, but lots of guys do it because that's how you block punches. So you keep your hands open and you slap punches down.
Jones later said in an interview, "I realize that I do it. I realize the criticism that I got from it. It's not on purpose. If you watch my fights, it's me extending my arm in a reactionary way. I do put a hand on people's foreheads to maintain distance.
During a promotional event for UFC 178, on August 4, 2014, Jones and Daniel Cormier briefly scuffled during an on-stage staredown, initiated by Jones pressing his forehead against Cormier's forehead, prompting Cormier to shove Jones by the throat, to which Jones responded by throwing a punch. Both fighters were restrained by coaches and event organizers. Later that day during a press conference, Cormier expressed a desire to spit in Jones' face, to which Jones responded by threatening to kill Cormier. UFC chief legal officer Kirk Hendrick said "there are going to be ramifications".
On April 27, 2015, Albuquerque, New Mexico, police stated that Jones was sought in connection with a hit and run early the previous morning. Jones was alleged to have run a red light and crashed his rental car in a collision involving two other vehicles. Jones allegedly fled the scene of the crash on foot, leaving an injured pregnant woman behind in another vehicle. The incident was witnessed by an off-duty police officer who identified the suspect as an African-American man, wearing a white shirt and dark pants, whom he believed to be Jones. According to witnesses, the man described as Jones then returned to the scene to grab cash from the vehicle before fleeing again. Paperwork found in the rental car was under the name of "Jonathan Jones".
An arrest warrant was issued against Jones, and surrender arrangements were made between law enforcement and Jones's lawyers. That evening, Jones turned himself in to the Albuquerque Police Department. Later that evening, he posted bail of $2,500 and left the Bernalillo County Metro Detention Center. He made a court appearance on April 28 and did not enter a plea. The judge lifted any travel restrictions, and Jones was allowed to remain free, as long as he remained in contact with his lawyer and followed certain conditions.
With a pending UFC fight still in his contract, UFC President Dana White and Zuffa owner Lorenzo Fertitta traveled to New Mexico from Las Vegas to meet with Jones in person. Sorry to everyone I've let down." On September 29, 2015, he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was subsequently sentenced to up to 18 months of supervised probation. He was authorized to travel for work-related purposes.
In the early hours of September 24, 2021, a day after Jones was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his fight with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, police were called to the Caesars Palace resort hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, responding to a domestic incident. According to a police report obtained by news site MMA Fighting, a 9-1-1 call was made by a hotel security guard when Jones's youngest daughter requested help, saying there was a domestic incident between Jones and his fiancée, Jessie Moses. Police arrived, cutting Jones off as he was attempting to flee. When investigating the room, they observed Moses with blood on her face and clothing, and with a bump on her lip. Moses said that Jones had left the hotel to go out with friends, and when he returned, he became agitated and pulled her hair. She said that the hair pulling was the extent of the physicality between the two, and that the blood on her face and clothing was from chapped lips. She also declined a temporary protective order against Jones.
Police stated that while Jones was being detained, he headbutted the hood of the patrol vehicle and made threats, saying he could break free from the handcuffs. Jones was arrested after the investigation, taken to Clark County jail, and was charged with one count of domestic battery, a misdemeanor, and one count of tamperin...