Jon Jones

Dominant two-division champion whose only loss is a disputed 2009 DQ; retired in 2025 after unifying LHW and HW gold.

Jonathan Dwight Jones was born in Rochester, New York in 1987. He won the UFC light heavyweight title in 2011 at 23 — the youngest champion in UFC history. He vacated to move to heavyweight after years at 205 lbs. He is widely considered the greatest MMA fighter of all time by many analysts. His career has been repeatedly disrupted by USADA violations — testing positive for clomiphene (2016, suspension), trace amounts of turinabol (2017, suspension) and trace amounts of clomiphene again (2019, cleared) — generating more anti-doping controversy than any other UFC champion. He knocked out Ciryl Gane in the first round to win the heavyweight title in March 2023. His technical versatility across striking, wrestling and submissions is considered without parallel in MMA history. Jones briefly retired in June 2025, relinquishing his heavyweight title, before reversing course within weeks and spending the following months campaigning for a place on the UFC's planned White House card, with a superfight against light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira among the bouts most demanded by fans.

Jones utilizes an unorthodox striking style with exceptional reach advantage, employing creative techniques like spinning elbows and oblique kicks. His wrestling background provides elite takedown defense and ground control, while his clinch work is particularly devastating. He combines technical precision with improvisation, often using unconventional angles and timing to overwhelm opponents.

Jones is widely considered one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, having dominated the light heavyweight division longer than any other champion in UFC history.

• UFC Light Heavyweight Champion 2011-2015, 2018-2020
• interim LHW Champion 2016
• UFC Heavyweight Champion 2023-2025
• most UFC title defences (12) and most UFC title-fight wins (16) in history