Get to know Bones Jones
Jon Jones is the end boss of MMA. No one has gotten to the top of the UFC and stayed there longer than “Bones.” He’s had such a long reign on top that some fans may forget that he had his first fight in the UFC – at the tender age of 21 – just nine months after he started training in MMA. His dominance is almost impossible to wrap your mind around.
In his first two-and-a-half years in the greatest MMA promotion in the world, he destroyed everyone in his path, going 6-1 and with his lone loss coming at the flailing hands of Matt Hamill, but mostly an antiquated rule that designated 12-6 elbows illegal. He was destroying Hamill like he was destroying everyone up to that point – good fighters like Stephan Bonnar, Vladimir Matyushenko, Brandon Vera, and Ryan Bader. He made them look like kids toying with dad. And then he finally got his title shot against PRIDE legend and UFC light heavyweight champ Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. Again – domination.
2012 Topps Finest UFC #BL-JJ Jon Jones Bloodlines
After Dana White wrapped the belt around his waist, Jones wasted no time collecting heads from every former champion that dared challenge him: Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson was finished in the UFC for the first and only time by Jones via rear naked choke after being tossed around like he’s never been before. Then Jones solved the Lyoto Machida problem and left him unconscious and bleeding. In that fight, the commentary team praised Machida for even landing “the hardest shot” Jones had ever taken. Then Jones would easily defeat his old training partner and friend Rashad Evans in another one-sided affair.
Jones was simply invincible. Using his natural size advantage to pull off maneuvers many never knew were possible: short clinch elbows that hit with the torque of a baseball swing, spinning back elbows, oblique kicks, and explosive takedowns that were more like “stay downs” because no one could ever get up from Jones’ Greco Roman wrestling.
By September 2012, he had defeated four former UFC champions in a row. Then came Vitor Belfort – on short notice. This was the closest Jones came to getting finished – quite possibly ever – when Vitor slapped on a blazing-fast armbar in the opening round. Jones gutted it out even with his arm bending at an awful angle and systematically sliced him up with ground and pound and elbows. Ultimately, it was another submission win for Jones, and we saw the young phenom turn the corner into an undeniable GOAT. It’s like he wanted to defeat all of his opponents with their own fighting style. When Jones beat Chael Sonnen – he wanted to take him down like Chael would do to his opponents.
Then came Alexander Gustafson, who would push Jones to his absolute limit, cutting Jones with pinpoint striking and even taking Jones down for the first time in his career. But Jones, being the GOAT, would go into overdrive in the championship rounds and bust up Gustafson with an awe-inspiring display of short elbows and head kicks. Jones would eek by with the decision win.
As usual, when Jones defeated Glover Teixeira – it was a scientific destruction of every part of Glover’s body. Then Jones would face his greatest rival: Daniel Cormier. A heavyweight champ coming down to meet Jones despite the massive size and length difference. Again – Jones would do whatever he wanted and walk away the victor – but have his title stripped after violating the UFC’s Athlete Conduct Policy.
UFC Topps Now #247 Jon Jones
Jones would return against Ovince St. Preux for the interim title light heavyweight title, once again dominating in every way, but would be stripped of the interim title after testing positive for a banned substance. After coming back over a year later, Jones would again face then-light heavyweight champion Cormier, and despite it being a much closer fight, Jones would finish Cormier with a head kick and some of the most violent elbows ever seen inside the Octagon. Then, Jones would again be stripped of the title after testing for an illegal substance.
A year and a half later, Jones would again return after an extended layoff and lay waste to Alexander Gustafsson. The problems Gus gave him before were nonexistent, and Jones would win the light heavyweight title by KO. And here’s where it gets interesting – Jones almost seemed bored, trouncing Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos, and then he would face a fiery Dominick Reyes. If Vitor Belfort came the closest to finishing Jon, Reyes came the closest to beating him for all five rounds. Despite pulling out the decision win, the fight’s result is still argued to this day, with fans convinced Reyes won – but Jones’ heart and championship round experience was undeniable – coming alive in rounds four and five to ensure the win.
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Then Jones would step away from the cage for over three years, relinquishing his belt and waiting for the perfect comeback fight at heavyweight, which came against frightening power-striker Ciryl Gane. Could Jones handle this man’s phenomenal Muay Thai and kickboxing skills and power? Yes. Jones took him down and quickly submitted him almost comically easily. Heavyweight Jones was here, and he looked as scary as ever.
