Jon Jones

Jonathan Dwight Jones is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) from 2008 to 2025. Widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, Jones held the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship from 2011 to 2015 and from 2018 to 2020, as well as the UFC Heavyweight Championship from 2023 until his retirement in 2025. He also served as the interim light heavyweight champion in 2016. Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23 and spent a record 1,743 days as the UFC's top pound-for-pound fighter.

Jones was born on July 19, 1987, in Rochester, New York, and relocated to the Binghamton area at age 10. His father, Arthur, was a pastor who discouraged Jon from fighting, while his mother, Camille, passed away in 2017. Jones grew up in a church-centered home alongside three siblings. His older brother Arthur and younger brother Chandler both played as defensive ends in the National Football League, while his older sister, Carmen, died of a brain tumor before turning 18.

Before entering mixed martial arts, Jones was a stand-out wrestler at Union-Endicott High School, winning the Northeast Junior Greco-Roman Regional Championship and a state title. He earned the nickname "Bones" while playing high school football as a defensive lineman. In college, he won an NJCAA national championship and earned All-American honors at Iowa Central Community College. He later attended Morrisville State College to study Criminal Justice before dropping out to pursue his fighting career.

Jones made his professional MMA debut in April 2008, building a 6–0 record and winning the USKBA Light Heavyweight Championship. He debuted in the UFC later that year with a victory over André Gusmão. After defeating Stephan Bonnar and Jake O'Brien, Jones suffered his only professional loss in December 2009 via a disqualification against Matt Hamill due to illegal downward elbows. He rebounded with stoppage victories over Brandon Vera, Vladimir Matyushenko, and Ryan Bader.

In March 2011, Jones defeated Maurício Rua to capture the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. He subsequently defended his belt against Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, and Alexander Gustafsson. His 2013 match against Gustafsson earned Fight of the Night honors and was later selected for induction into the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing. Jones holds light heavyweight division records for the most title defenses, most wins, and longest win streak.

Between 2015 and 2017, Jones lost his title three times due to legal issues and disciplinary actions, including an arrest on felony hit-and-run charges and suspensions for testing positive for banned substances. After returning to reclaim the light heavyweight belt against Gustafsson in 2018, he voluntarily vacated the title in 2020. Following a three-year hiatus, Jones returned in 2023 to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship against Ciryl Gane, holding the title until his retirement in 2025 as an eight-time two-division UFC titleholder.