Jon Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Jones
Jones in 2014
Born	Jonathan Dwight Jones (1987-07-19) July 19, 1987 (age 38) Rochester, New York, U.S.
Nickname(s)	Bones
Residence	Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	238 lb (108 kg)
Division	Light heavyweight (2008–2020) Heavyweight (2023–2025)
Reach	84+1⁄2 in (215 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Team	Team Bombsquad (2008–2009) Jackson Wink MMA Academy (2009–2021) Jackson's MMA Acoma (2021–present) Fight Ready (2021–present)
Rank	Black belt in Gaidojutsu under Greg Jackson Purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Roberto Alencar
Wrestling	NJCAA Wrestling
Years active	2008–2025 (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total	30
Wins	28
By knockout	11
By submission	7
By decision	10
Losses	1
By disqualification	1
No contests	1
Other information
University	Iowa Central Community College
Children	4
Notable relatives	Arthur Jones (older brother) Chandler Jones (younger brother)
Notable school(s)	Union-Endicott High School
Medal record Collegiate Wrestling Representing Iowa Central CC NJCAA Championships Gold 2006 Rochester 197 lb
Signature

Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American former professional mixed martial artist. He competed from 2008 to 2025. He was a champion in both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Many people consider Jones to be one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at age 23. He holds many UFC records in the Light Heavyweight division. These include 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. He held the #1 pound-for-pound 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. This result is still debated by many.

Between 2015 and 2017, Jones faced some challenges outside the ring. He lost his light heavyweight title three times due to disciplinary actions. He was later suspended for a period. After his suspension, Jones won the championship again in 2018. He held it until 2020 when he decided to move to a different weight class. Jones took three years away from MMA. He returned in 2023 to win the heavyweight title. He defended it against Stipe Miocic before retiring in 2025.

Early Life and Family

Jones was born on July 19, 1987, in Rochester, New York. His father, Arthur, is a pastor. He wanted Jon to become a preacher, not a fighter. Jon's mother, Camille, passed away in 2017 at age 55.

Jon has three siblings. His older brother, Arthur, played American football as a defensive lineman. His younger brother, Chandler, played as an outside linebacker. His older sister, Carmen, passed away before her 18th birthday.

Wrestling Career

High School Wrestling

Jones started wrestling in high school at Union-Endicott High School. He had to improve his grades to join the team. His early wrestling record was not amazing. However, it helped him develop a strong work ethic. In 2003, he placed fifth in Greco-Roman wrestling at a national championship.

In 2004, Jones won a regional championship. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. In 2005, he won the New York State Championship. He was also honored as an All-American. He placed fourth at the NHSCA Senior Nationals.

College Wrestling

Jones was offered a scholarship to Iowa State University. He could not accept it the first time due to his grades. The second time, he turned it down because his girlfriend was expecting a baby. He chose to work and support his family instead.

Jones attended Iowa Central Community College. There, he won the NJCAA National Championship. He also helped his team win the overall championship. He earned All-America honors.

Mixed Martial Arts Journey

Starting His MMA Career

Before MMA, Jones was a top high school wrestler. He also played football. His coach nicknamed him "Bones" because he was thin. After college, he decided to focus on MMA.

Jones started his professional MMA career in April 2008. He quickly built an undefeated record of 6 wins and 0 losses in three months. He finished all his opponents. Before joining the UFC, he won the USKBA Light Heavyweight Championship.

Joining the UFC

Jones made his UFC debut on August 9, 2008, at UFC 87. He took the fight on short notice. Jones won by unanimous decision. He used unique moves like spinning elbows.

In his second UFC fight, Jones faced Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94. Jones took Bonnar down many times. He won by unanimous decision. His third fight was at UFC 100 against Jake O'Brien. Jones won by submission. After these wins, he signed a new contract with the UFC.

On December 5, 2009, Jones fought Matt Hamill. Jones dominated the fight. However, he was disqualified for using illegal elbow strikes. This was his only professional loss. Many, including UFC president Dana White, felt it should have been a "no contest."

Jones then defeated Brandon Vera in March 2010. He won by TKO in the first round. This earned him the "Knockout of the Night" award. He also beat Vladimir Matyushenko in August 2010. After this win, UFC president Dana White said Jones was "the real deal."

Jones faced undefeated fighter Ryan Bader in February 2011. Jones won by submission. This earned him the "Submission of the Night" bonus.

Becoming Light Heavyweight Champion

After beating Bader, Jones got a chance to fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. The original challenger, Rashad Evans, was injured. So, Jones stepped in. On March 19, 2011, at UFC 128, Jones defeated Maurício Rua by TKO. He became the youngest UFC champion ever at 23 years old.

Jones defended his title against Quinton Jackson in September 2011. He won by submission. This was the first time Jackson had been submitted in the UFC. Jones later said this was his favorite fight.

Jones then defended his title against Lyoto Machida in December 2011. He won by technical submission. This was Machida's first submission loss.

In April 2012, Jones faced his former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 145. Jones won by unanimous decision. His next fight was supposed to be against Dan Henderson. However, Henderson got injured. Jones then declined a last-minute replacement fight. This led to the cancellation of UFC 151.

Jones defended his title against Vitor Belfort in September 2012. He won by submission in the fourth round. This tied him with Chuck Liddell for the most title defenses.

Jones coached on The Ultimate Fighter against Chael Sonnen. They fought in April 2013. Jones won by TKO in the first round. He broke his toe during the fight. This win tied him with Tito Ortiz for most consecutive title defenses in his division.

Jones faced Alexander Gustafsson in September 2013. It was a very tough fight. Jones won by unanimous decision. Both fighters were injured. This fight is considered one of the greatest in UFC history. It was later added to the UFC Hall of Fame.

Jones fought Glover Teixeira in April 2014. He won by unanimous decision. He then faced Daniel Cormier in January 2015. Jones won by unanimous decision. He was the first person to take Cormier down.

Challenges and Returns

Jones was scheduled to defend his title in May 2015. However, he was stripped of his title and suspended by the UFC. This was due to an incident outside the ring. Daniel Cormier then won the vacant title.

In October 2015, Jones was allowed to return to the UFC. He fought Ovince Saint Preux in April 2016 and won by unanimous decision. He won the interim Light Heavyweight Championship.

Jones was set to fight Cormier again in July 2016. But he was removed from the fight due to a potential rule violation. He was suspended for one year. He also lost his interim title.

Jones fought Cormier again in July 2017. Jones won by knockout. However, the result was later changed to a "no contest" due to another rule violation. He was stripped of his title for a third time. In September 2018, Jones received a 15-month suspension.

Second Championship Reign

Jones returned in December 2018. He fought Alexander Gustafsson again for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Jones won by technical knockout in the third round.

He defended his title against Anthony Smith in March 2019. Jones won by unanimous decision. He was deducted two points for an illegal knee.

Jones then defended his title against Thiago Santos in July 2019. He won by split decision. In February 2020, he faced Dominick Reyes. Jones won by a controversial unanimous decision. This win set a new record for most wins in UFC title fights (14).

Moving to Heavyweight and Retirement

In May 2020, Jones had disagreements with the UFC over pay. He announced he was giving up his Light Heavyweight Championship. He wanted to move to the Heavyweight division.

After three years away, Jones returned in March 2023. He fought Ciryl Gane for the vacant UFC Heavyweight Championship. He won by submission in the first round. This earned him a "Performance of the Night" bonus.

Jones was scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in November 2023. However, Jones got injured and had to pull out. The fight was rescheduled for November 16, 2024, at UFC 309. He won the fight by TKO in the third round. This win broke the record for most title defenses in UFC history (12). He also earned another "Performance of the Night" award.

As of July 2025, Jones was the longest-tenured fighter in the UFC. On June 21, 2025, Jones announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. This made Tom Aspinall the new undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion. As of July 4, 2025, Jones was listed as active on the UFC website.

Grappling Career

Early Grappling Success

In January 2008, Jones competed in the Northeastern Grappler's Challenge. He won both his matches against world-class grappler Doug Fournet. He submitted Fournet both times.

NAGA Tournament

In October 2016, Jones competed in the NAGA no-gi grappling tournament. He won his first match by guillotine choke. In his next match, he defeated a brown belt with a special choke he called "The Williams Whirl."

Submission Underground

Jones headlined Submission Underground 2 in December 2016. He faced MMA legend Dan Henderson. Jones won by arm-triangle choke. After the match, Jones expressed interest in competing against Chael Sonnen.

Training and Fighting Style

Training Regimen

Jon Jones kicking a punching bag in training

Jones has trained with different teams, including Team BombSquad and Jackson's MMA. He also trained as a power-lifter during a suspension.

His training focuses on being versatile, strong, and technically skilled. He practices wrestling, striking, grappling, and intense functional training. He uses pad work, sparring, and clinch drills to improve his skills. His training also includes explosive exercises for speed and power.

During training camps, Jones trains six days a week. As a fight gets closer, he reduces intensity to recover. He focuses on precision and lighter sparring to be in top shape.

Jones and Jake Matthews after a training session

Unique Fighting Style

Jon Jones posing with Marines at Camp Pendleton in 2010

Jones is known for his ability to adapt and his excellent technique. He is often called one of the most creative and evolving fighters in MMA history. He uses his long reach and defensive wrestling to land strikes in an unusual way.

He uses many types of kicks, like front kicks to the body and head, and roundhouse kicks. His most famous kick is the "oblique kick," which targets the opponent's knee. This move was made popular by Bruce Lee, who inspired Jones.

Jones is also very good in the clinch. He controls his opponent's arms and uses elbows and knee strikes. He uses wrestling takedowns and judo throws. He says he learned some of these moves from YouTube. Once on the ground, he controls his opponent well and finds chances to punch and elbow.

Personal Life

Jones has four daughters and one son. In February 2022, he announced that his fiancée Jessie had left him. However, they later got back together. Jessie was with him when he won the heavyweight title in 2023. In June 2024, Jones shared that he had been granted shared custody of his son.

In March 2011, Jones was with his coaches in New Jersey. They saw an elderly couple asking for help after a man stole their GPS. Jones and his coaches chased the robber, caught him, and held him until the police arrived.

In August 2012, Jones became the first MMA fighter to be sponsored by Nike globally. He was also the first MMA fighter to have his own shoe line. He represented Gatorade and MuscleTech. In December 2014, he signed with Reebok. However, Reebok ended their sponsorship in April 2015 due to an incident. MuscleTech also ended their sponsorship.

In January 2025, Jones attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump. In March 2025, it was announced that Jones is a co-owner of "Dirty Boxing Championship." In June 2025, he became a co-owner and chief performance officer of Ketone-IQ.

Jones has been featured on the covers of several magazines, including Fighters Only and UFC.

Helping the Community

In December 2019, Jones gave away $20,000 worth of coats to people experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also worked with a local charity to provide hot meals and toys to children. In May 2020, Jones donated $25,000 to The Food Depot, an organization that helps feed people in need. This donation provided 100,000 meals.

In 2020, Jones started the C.A.R.E. Project. This is a non-profit group that cleans up and improves communities in New Mexico. Through his foundation, Jones has launched several projects. These include giving backpacks to children every July. He also gave gift vouchers and shopping sprees to families in December 2020 and 2021.

After winning against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, Jones said his $50,000 bonus would go to community service in Albuquerque. In February 2025, Jones partnered with Power to the Patients. This group works for more affordable healthcare.

Championships and Awards

Jon Jones with fans at UFC 100 Fan Expo, Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas

Mixed Martial Arts Achievements

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Hall of Fame (Fight Wing, Class of 2021) for his fight against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165
  • UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
    • One successful title defense
    • Second longest Heavyweight champion reign in UFC history (840 days)
  • UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (Two times)
    • Eleven successful title defenses (Overall)
    • Most successful title defenses in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (11)
    • Most consecutive title defenses in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (8)
  • Interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • Youngest champion in UFC history (23 years, 243 days)
  • Eighth multi-divisional champion in UFC history
  • Fourth fighter to defend titles in two different weight divisions
  • Most wins in UFC title fights (16)
  • Most successful title defenses in UFC history (12)
  • Most UFC title fights (17)
  • Fight of the Night (Four times)
  • Knockout of the Night (One time)
  • Submission of the Night (Two times)
  • Performance of the Night (Three times)
  • Longest unbeaten streak in UFC history (20)
  • Most consecutive wins in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (13)
  • Most wins in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (20)
  • Most decision wins in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (10)
  • Most total fight time in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (5:40:15)
  • Most significant strikes landed in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (1,463)
  • Highest takedown defense percentage in UFC Light Heavyweight division history (95.0%)
  • Longest total reign as #1 pound for pound (1,743 days)
  • Holds wins over nine former UFC champions
• United States Kickboxing Association
  • USKBA Light Heavyweight Championship (one time)
• Sherdog
  • 2011 Fighter of the Year
  • 2013 Fight of the Year (vs Alexander Gustafsson)
  • Greatest Light Heavyweight of All Time
  • Greatest Male Fighter Pound-for-Pound of All Time
• World MMA Awards
  • 2011 Fighter of the Year
  • 2013 Fight of the Year (vs. Alexander Gustafsson)
• MMA Fighting
  • 2011 Fighter of the Year
  • 2013 Fight of the Year (vs Alexander Gustafsson)
  • Fighter of the Decade (2010s)
• Yahoo! Sports
  • 2013 Fight of the Year (vs. Alexander Gustafsson)
  • Male MMA Fighter of the Decade (2010-2019)
  • Greatest MMA Fighter of All Time
• ESPN
  • 2011 Fighter of the Year
  • 2012 Fighter of the Year
  • 2013 Fight of the Year (vs. Alexander Gustafsson)
  • Best Male MMA Fighters of the Decade (2010-2019)
  • Greatest Men's MMA Fighter of the 21st Century
• ESPY Award
  • 2023 Best MMA Fighter

Amateur Wrestling Achievements

• National Junior College Athletic Association
  • NJCAA 197 lb National Championship (2006)
• New York State Public High School Athletic Association
  • NYSPHSAA Division I State Championship (2005)

Grappling Achievements

• Submission Underground (SUG) 2 Superfight Champion (2016)

Mixed Martial Arts Record

Grappling Record

5 Matches, 5 Wins (5 Submissions)
Result	Rec.	Opponent	Method	Event	Division	Date	Location
Win	5–0	Dan Henderson	Submission (arm-triangle choke)	Submission Underground 2	Superfight	December 10, 2016	Portland, OR
Win	4–0	Rich O'Toole	Submission (guillotine choke)	NAGA Phoenix	Absolute	October 15, 2016	Phoenix, AZ
Win	3–0	Don Daubert	Submission (guillotine choke)
Win	2–0	Doug Fournet	Submission (kimura)	Northeastern Grappler's Challenge	Absolute	January, 2008	Ithaca, NY
Win	1–0	Doug Fournet	Submission (kimura)

Pay-Per-View Fights

Film and Media

Television and Movies

Digital Films and Interviews

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Jon Jones para niños

• List of male mixed martial artists
• List of UFC champions
• List of UFC bonus award recipients
• List of UFC records
• List of UFC events
• UFC Rankings
• UFC Hall of Fame