Among the best fighters in combat sports history, Jon Jones has created a legacy stained with both medals and unforgettable events.
Thanks to his unrivalled skills, strategic sense, and career filled of both successes and losses, Jones has solidified his reputation as one of the sports stars.
Analysing Jon Jones’s beginnings, rise to popularity, personal life, and future aspirations, this paper delves thoroughly into his life, work, and legacy.
At the youthful age of 23, Jones fought Maurício Rua for the UFC championship, therefore marking the youngest champion in the annals of the company. With more defences, wins, and streaks than any other UFC title, he is the light heavyweight. For most of his championship run, Jones was considered as the top pound-for–pound boxer worldwide.
Apart from a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill, a ruling that Hamill and the UFC president have contested—Jones has never been defeated or outscored in his professional career.
Contents
- 1 Jon Jones Early Life
- 2 Jon Jones Family
- 3 Jon Jones Career & Debut
- 3.1 Possibility of Title Shot
- 3.2 First Title Arguments
- 3.3 Rivalry with Rashad Evans
- 3.4 Title Defences Persistently
- 3.5 Conflict involving Gustafsson
- 3.6 Taking over Teixeira
- 3.7 Fallout with Cormier and Gustafsson
- 3.8 Recurrence and Interim Title
- 3.9 Match to Submission and Suspension
- 3.10 Second Period Starts
- 3.11 Divisive Win Against Reyes
- 3.12 Conflict with UFC then move to heavyweight.
- 4 Jon Jones Net Worth
- 5 Jon Jones Biography in Brief
- 6 Failed Drug Tests And Controversies
- 7 Jon Jones Personal Life & Wife?
- 8 Jon Jones Fun Facts
Jon Jones Early Life
Born in Rochester, New York, on July 19, 1987, Jonathan Dwight Jones, sometimes known as Jon “Bones,” He hails from a family steeped in athletics and religion. Cancer is his star sign; he is 37 years old.
Jones was raised in Endicott, New York, albeit originally from Rochester, New York. Jones was the 2005 New York State wrestling champion while a senior in high school; he then enrolled at Lowa Central Community College.
Jones kept his supremacy on the wrestling mat there, as the National Junior College wrestling champion, and also a Greco-Roman All American. He also completed an Associates degree.
Jon Jones Family
Fascinatingly, Jones is not the only athlete in his family. Both Arthur Willis Jones III and Chandler Jones, his siblings, were professional football players; the latter is currently playing. Born into a family of four, Jon Jones lost his older sister Carmen Jones from a brain tumour before her eighteenth birthday. Besides, his mother died in 2017 at the age of 55, leading to diabetes.
One of the most important members of the Jones family who helped Jon Jones grow into the person he is now is Father Arthur Jones Jr. Still, the father Jones wasn’t always thrilled about his son’s path for a fighting career. A closer look of the person who reared Jon Jones will be offered in this post.
Retired pastor Arthur Jones Jr., Jon Jones’s father, reared Jon and his brothers in a conservative, religious setting. He has often praised Jon’s achievements in mixed martial arts while also noting the challenges “Bones” has faced over his career.
Since MMA is among the most demanding sports in the world, his father’s main focus was protecting him from major, life-altering injuries.

Jon Jones Career & Debut
After making his professional mixed martial arts debut in April 2008, Jon Jones finished all of his opponent going 6–0 undefeated in three months. The UFC signed him after drawn in by this remarkable streak.
Jones embarked on a three-bout winning run following his first and only fight vs Matt Hamill lost due to illegal elbows. His victories over Brandon Vera and Ryan Bader confirmed his prospects for crown. Following a great performance, Jones, at 23, defeated Maurício ‘Shogun’ Rua to become the youngest UFC champion.
Following his historic title triumph, Jon Jones defended his championship against a challenging roster. Over Quinton ‘Rampage’, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, and Alexander Gustafsson he won exciting bouts. With every great defence, Jones rose to become among the best UFC fighters.
Possibility of Title Shot
Jon Jones was told Rashad Evans had an injury and couldn’t fight UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Maurício “Shogun” Rua after beating Ryan Bader. Jones accepted the offer of the title shot. Jones became the younger UFC champion when he TKO Rua in Round 3 at UFC 128 on March 19, 2011.
First Title Arguments
Originally scheduled to defend his championship against Evans at UFC 133, a hand injury delayed Jones’s return. Rather, he squared off against Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 and became the first to submit Jackson in the fourth round. Later, he guillotine choked Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 in defence of the championship.
Rivalry with Rashad Evans
On April 21, 2012, Jones squared Evans at UFC 145 and came out on unanimous decision. UFC 151 was supposed to include a fight with Dan Henderson, however Henderson pulled out owing to injury. Jones turned down a short-notice fight against Chael Sonnen, resulting in UFC 151’s cancellation—the first in UFC history.
Title Defences Persistently
Machida turned out a rematch, hence Jones defended his belt against Vitor Belfort at UFC 152, surviving an early armbar and winning an Americana submission. Later on, he coached opposite Chael Sonnen on The Ultimate Fighter, then beat Sonnen first-round TKO at UFC 159.
Conflict involving Gustafsson
At UFC 165 Jones squared up against Alexander Gustafsson in a hard, back-and-forth fight. Jones emerged cut but won by unanimous decision. Widely acclaimed and included into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2020, the fight was
Taking over Teixeira
Before they finally crossed paths at UFC 172 on April 26, 2014, Jones was booked to face Glover Teixeira multiple times. Jones prevailed by unanimous decision and had flawless all-around performance.
Fallout with Cormier and Gustafsson
Jones wanted Daniel Cormier instead and was hesitant to rematch Gustafsson. Injuries caused a postponed scheduled bout with Cormier at UFC 178. At UFC 182, they battled at last, Jones emerging victorious by unanimous decision.
Originally scheduled to defend his championship against Anthony Johnson at UFC 187, Jones was stripped of the title following a hit-and- run episode. Cormier entered and won the empty belt.
Recurrence and Interim Title
Returning at UFC 197, Jones defeated Ovince Saint Preux by decision to take interim championship. Rescheduling a rematch with Cormier for UFC 200, Jones was removed for a drug violation. He lost the interim championship and was suspended one year.
Match to Submission and Suspension
Jones submitted Dan Henderson and fought in a grappling match at Submission Underground 2 while suspended. Later on, he seemed interested in grappling Sonnen. Go back and deal with doping trouble.
Again At UFC 214 Jones defeated Cormier to recover the title, but he tested positive for Turinabol. The outcome was reversed to a no contest, returning Cormier the championship. Thanks to USADA assistance, he was suspended for fifteen months.
Second Period Starts
Returning at UFC 232, Jones defeated Gustafsson to once more take the vacant title. Though the latter was a split decision, he defended it against Anthony Smith at UFC 235 and Thiago Santos at UFC 239—both wins.
Divisive Win Against Reyes
Jones won a dubious unanimous decision after defending his belt against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. Many media sources gave Reyes’s performance points. Jones’s 14th title fight victory—a UFC record—was this one.
Conflict with UFC then move to heavyweight.
Over salary, Jones got into conflict with Dana White and dropped the light heavyweight belt in 2019. He said he wanted to aim a battle with Francis Ngannou and go heavyweight.
Jon Jones Net Worth
One of the most well-known figures in mixed martial arts, Jon Jones has amassed a substantial fortune. He is a top earner in the sport and has earned $14.3 million in fight money. However, Jon Jones’s modest $3 million nett worth reflects both his professional achievements and the scandals that have dogged his career.
His largest payout, a record $1.83 million, came in UFC 214 vs Daniel Cormier. In his professional MMA career, he has only lost once, against Matt Hamill, who disqualified him in 2009.
Jones was the first MMA competitor to receive international sponsorship from Nike. He currently has a second sponsorship agreement with Gatorade in addition to his own shoe brand. Reebok and MuscleTech Is Currently sponsor him, but they severed their relationship with him following a hit-and-run incident in 2015.
Jon Jones Career Earning
Jon Jones’s nett worth has changed dramatically over his career depending on the opponent, event size, and performance. His fight earnings vary as well.
Jones usually makes roughly $762,000 every fight thanks in great part to PPV earnings, performance bonuses, and sponsorships.
High-profile battles like those he has fought against Daniel Cormier and Ciryl Gane, where he has made over $1 million, bring his best earnings.

Jon Jones Biography in Brief
Name: | Jonathan Dwight Jones |
Nick Name: | “Bones” |
Age: | 37 years |
Born: | 19 July 1987 |
Height: | 6′ 4″ft |
Weight: | 248lbs |
Country of Origin: |
|
Net Worth/Salary | $3 Million |
Wife/Girlfriend | Jessie Moses |
Relationship Status | Married |
Kids- | Leah, Carmen Nicole, Olivia Haven |
Father | Arthur Jones Jr. |
Mother | Camille Jones |
Siblings | Arthur Jones III, Chandler Jones, Carmen Jones |
Social Media | Instagram- Twitter– Facebook |
Failed Drug Tests And Controversies
2015 saw Jones’s first failing on a drug test. But his first test came back positive for cocaine; thus, he was theoretically qualified to compete in UFC 182 provided later findings were negative, as they were.
But in 2016 Jon came positive for drugs meant to boost performance, including an anti-estrogen chemical and an aromatase inhibitor. Although a panel found Jon used the drugs unintentionally—both of which are banned for UFC athletes—he was punished for one year.
Should Jones come positive for anabolic steroids in 2017, the same outcome would have followed. Still, he deprived himself of his UFC title and past victory over Cormier. He spent fifteen months also suspended. Jon returned triumphantly to the UFC in 2018, although he tested positive for anabolic steroids in minute levels once more.
The boxer was not reprimanded even though these levels were determined to be negligible amounts that persisted from the 2017 test.

Jon Jones Personal Life & Wife?
Jessie Moses is Jones’s fiancée.
Shortly later, Jones remarked on Twitter (X): “My fiancée left me about two months ago, and she finalised today that she won’t be coming back.”
Still, the fact that Moses attended UFC 285 shocked a lot of UFC viewers. Jones mentioned his fiancée in his post-fight interview and claimed he kissed her both before and after the fight.
They seem not to be really separate. Indeed, Jon Jones and Jessie Moses are still quite much in love and together! It’s great to see Jon Jones’s life and career in perfect order right now. Jon Jones and Jessie Moses, high school sweethearts from New York, had an almost two-decade romance. Though they are not yet married, they have raised three daughters together.
Their relationship changed dramatically early in the new century when Jones asked Moses to wed him in 2013. September 2021 saw their romance disrupted, though, when Jones was arrested on the evening of his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame on allegations of battery, domestic violence, and vehicle damage.
Jon Jones Kids
Given their involvement and past relationship since high school, it is not unexpected to learn that Jon Jones and Jessie Moses are parents.
Apart from his friend Jessie, Jon Jones, best known as the most outstanding mixed martial arts fighter of his time, is the delighted father of three girls. 2008 saw his first step into parenthood when Leah, his eldest daughter, was born.
His family grew in 2009 when Carmen Nicole Jones, his second daughter, arrived. 2013 saw his youngest daughter Olivia Haven Jones join the family, completing the happy three.
Jon Jones Fun Facts
- Jon “Bones” Jones is among the most fascinating young UFC competitors currently on the scene.
- John Jones People Called Him Bones, Nick Name is “Jones Bones”.
- According to reports back in 2017, Jones was selling his Ithaca house for $750,000. 2011 saw him purchase the 4,400-square-foot house while still in training in the region; however, it soon proved to be a waste of money when he moved on to other training grounds.
- Apart from that, he is the first MMA athlete fighting for Gatorade and MuscleTech and with his own shoe line. Currently in the UFC, Jon “Bones” Jones is among the most fascinating young competitors.
- It was reported back in 2017 that Jones was marketing his Ithaca house for $750,000. 2011 saw him purchase the 4,400-square-foot house while still in training in the area; nevertheless, it soon proved to be a waste of money when he relocated to another training venue.
Television and film
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2011 | New York Mixed Martial Arts | Himself |
2016 | UFC 200 Greatest Fighters of All Time | |
2023 | UFC 285 Embedded | |
2024 | La Cage | |
2025 | Edo’s Crossing | Navy SEAL |