History of Jon Jones in Timeline

Jon Jones is a highly accomplished American mixed martial artist, currently the UFC Heavyweight Champion. Previously, he held the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship twice and an interim title. Since turning professional in 2008, Jones has established himself as one of the greatest MMA fighters ever. He is currently ranked #2 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

July 19, 1987: Jon Jones's Birth

On July 19, 1987, Jonathan Dwight Jones was born, who is an American professional mixed martial artist.

Others born on this day/year

April 2008: Professional MMA Debut

In April 2008, Jon Jones made his professional MMA debut.

August 9, 2008: UFC Debut

On August 9, 2008, Jon Jones made his UFC debut against André Gusmão at UFC 87, winning by unanimous decision.

2008: Start of Professional Career

In 2008, Jon Jones began his professional mixed martial arts career.

July 11, 2009: Victory Against Jake O'Brien

On July 11, 2009, Jon Jones fought against Jake O'Brien at UFC 100. Jones controlled the majority of the match and eventually secured a modified guillotine choke, causing O'Brien to tap out.

September 2009: New UFC Contract

In September 2009, Jon Jones was rewarded for his victories by signing a new, four-fight contract with the UFC.

December 5, 2009: Disqualification Loss

On December 5, 2009, Jon Jones fought Matt Hamill at The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale, and was disqualified for using illegal 12–6 elbows, resulting in a loss. The referee's decision was supported by the commission, which utilized a slow-motion replay to review the elbows.

2009: Training at Jackson Wink MMA Gym

Jon Jones had been training at Jackson Wink MMA gym since 2009.

March 21, 2010: Victory over Brandon Vera

On March 21, 2010, Jon Jones won against Brandon Vera at UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones by TKO in the first round, also winning the "Knockout of the Night" award.

August 1, 2010: Victory over Vladimir Matyushenko

On August 1, 2010, Jon Jones defeated Vladimir Matyushenko by TKO at UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko in the first round. Dana White said Jones had catapulted himself into the top eight in the world.

February 5, 2011: Defeat of Ryan Bader

On February 5, 2011, Jon Jones defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 126 via submission, earning the "Submission of the Night" bonus.

March 19, 2011: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

On March 19, 2011, at UFC 128, Jon Jones defeated Maurício 'Shogun' Rua by TKO to become the youngest ever UFC champion.

August 6, 2011: Hand Injury

On August 6, 2011, Jon Jones was sidelined with a hand injury, causing his title defense against Rashad Evans at UFC 133 to be postponed.

September 24, 2011: Victory Against Quinton Jackson

On September 24, 2011, Jon Jones defeated Quinton Jackson at UFC 135 via rear naked choke submission, becoming the first UFC fighter to submit Jackson.

December 10, 2011: Defense Against Lyoto Machida

On December 10, 2011, at UFC 140, Jon Jones successfully defended the light heavyweight title, stopping Lyoto Machida via guillotine choke technical submission.

2011: First UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

In 2011, Jon Jones became the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

April 21, 2012: Victory Over Rashad Evans

On April 21, 2012, at UFC 145, Jon Jones defeated Rashad Evans via unanimous decision. Dana White confirmed that Jones's next opponent would be Dan Henderson.

May 19, 2012: Arrest for Driving Under the Influence

On May 19, 2012, Jon Jones was arrested for driving under the influence (DWI) after driving his Bentley Continental GT into a pole in Binghamton, New York. He pleaded guilty and faced fines, license suspension, and mandatory classes.

September 22, 2012: Defense Against Vitor Belfort

On September 22, 2012, Jon Jones defended his championship against Vitor Belfort at UFC 152. Jones opened as a massive favorite (13-to-1) coming into the bout.

2012: Favorite Fight

In 2012, Jon Jones stated that his fight against Quinton Jackson in 2011 was his favorite fight up to that point.

April 27, 2013: Victory Against Chael Sonnen

On April 27, 2013, Jon Jones defeated Chael Sonnen via TKO at UFC 159, tying Tito Ortiz for most consecutive title defenses in UFC light heavyweight history.

September 21, 2013: Fight Against Alexander Gustafsson

On September 21, 2013, Jon Jones fought Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, winning via unanimous decision. After the match, Jones said Gustafsson gave him the toughest fight of his career.

April 2014: Instagram Post Mocking Eye-Poking Criticism

In April 2014, Jon Jones responded to criticism about repeatedly poking opponents in the eyes by releasing an Instagram video where he mocked fans. The video was later deleted after backlash.

August 4, 2014: Scuffle with Daniel Cormier at UFC 178 Promotional Event

On August 4, 2014, during a promotional event for UFC 178, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier engaged in a scuffle after Jones pressed his forehead against Cormier's, leading to physical altercation and intervention by coaches and organizers.

September 23, 2014: Fine and Community Service for Altercation with Cormier

On September 23, 2014, Jon Jones was fined $50,000 and ordered to undergo 40 hours of community service by the Nevada Athletic Commission for his role in the altercation with Daniel Cormier. Jones also falsely claimed to have lost a six-figure endorsement deal with Nike.

December 3, 2014: Random Drug Test

On December 3, 2014, Jon Jones was randomly drug tested. The results came back on December 23, 2014.

January 6, 2015: Failed Drug Test for Cocaine Metabolite

On January 6, 2015, it was announced that Jon Jones failed a drug test prior to UFC 182, testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite. He was fined $25,000 for violating the UFC's Athlete Code of Conduct policy.

January 19, 2015: Interview after Failed Drug Test

On January 19, 2015, Jon Jones gave his first interview since his failed drug test, stating he was not a cocaine addict and had made a dumb decision.

April 27, 2015: Police Seek Jones in Hit and Run Incident

On April 27, 2015, Albuquerque police stated that Jon Jones was being sought in connection with a hit and run incident that occurred the previous morning. He was accused of fleeing the scene after crashing his rental car, leaving an injured pregnant woman behind. Charges were elevated to a felony.

September 29, 2015: Guilty Plea and Probation for Hit and Run

On September 29, 2015, Jon Jones pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was sentenced to up to 18 months of supervised probation. He was authorized to travel for work-related purposes and met all conditions, avoiding a felony charge.

2015: Stripped of Title and Removed from Rankings

In 2015, Jon Jones was stripped of his title and removed from the UFC rankings after being arrested on felony hit-and-run charges.

2015: End of First Light Heavyweight Championship Reign

In 2015, Jon Jones's first reign as UFC Light Heavyweight Champion concluded.

July 8, 2016: Failed Drug Test for Banned Substances

On July 8, 2016, Jon Jones's urine sample tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole before his scheduled bout with Cormier at UFC 200. This resulted in his withdrawal from the event. Jones claimed it was due to a contaminated product (Cialis).

December 2016: Admission of Running from Accident Scene

In December 2016, Jon Jones admitted in an interview that he ran from the scene of the accident and did not check on the occupant of the other vehicle.

2016: Interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

In 2016, Jon Jones became the interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

2016: Victorious Return

In 2016, Jon Jones returned to the UFC and emerged victorious in a title bout against Ovince Saint Preux, however his victory was cut short by Jones testing positive for banned substances and receiving further suspensions.

August 22, 2017: Flagged for Potential Doping Violation

On August 22, 2017, Jon Jones was flagged for a potential doping violation by USADA stemming from a test sample collected on July 28, one day before his rematch against Cormier at UFC 214. He tested positive for Turinabol.

2017: Positive Test and Suspension

In 2017, Jon Jones had a victory cut short after testing positive for banned substances and receiving a suspension, later reversed to a no contest.

2017: Death of Mother

In 2017, Jon Jones's mother, Camille, passed away at the age of 55 after battling with diabetes.

2017: Turinabol M3 Metabolite Detected

In 2017, an M3 metabolite of turinabol was detected in Jon Jones' system, leading to the explanation of a long-term "pulsing effect" later on.

2017: Unified Rules Amended to Prohibit Eye-Poking

In 2017, the Unified Rules were amended to prohibit extending a fighter's fingers towards the eyes of an opponent, following criticism of Jon Jones's eye-poking incidents.

October 28, 2018: Eligibility to Fight Resumed

On October 28, 2018, Jon Jones became eligible to fight again after a period of ineligibility.

2018: Second UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

In 2018, Jon Jones once again became the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

2018: Reclaimed Championship

In 2018, after his suspension was lifted, Jon Jones reclaimed the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Alexander Gustafsson.

April 2019: Alleged Battery Incident at Albuquerque Strip Club

In April 2019, Jon Jones was allegedly involved in a battery incident at a strip club in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which led to charges being filed against him later.

July 21, 2019: Charged with Battery for Incident at Strip Club

On July 21, 2019, it was reported that Jon Jones had been charged with battery for an alleged incident in April 2019 involving a cocktail waitress at a strip club in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

September 26, 2019: No Contest Plea in Battery Case

On September 26, 2019, Jon Jones pleaded no contest to battery charges stemming from an incident at an Albuquerque strip club. He received a 90-day deferred sentence with conditions including avoiding arrest and abstaining from alcohol and drugs.

2019: Attempt to Overturn Result

In 2019, Dana White said he was still attempting to have the 2009 result of the fight against Matt Hamill overturned to a no contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

March 8, 2020: UFC Hall of Fame Induction

On March 8, 2020, it was announced that the 2013 Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson fight would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing on July 9.

March 26, 2020: Arrest for Aggravated DWI and Firearm Possession

On March 26, 2020, Jon Jones was arrested in Albuquerque for aggravated DWI, negligent use of a firearm, possession of an open container, and driving without proof of insurance after failing a field sobriety test and having a BAC more than twice the legal limit. A partially empty bottle of Recuerdo Mezcal and a handgun were found in his car.

2020: Title Vacated

In 2020, Jon Jones voluntarily vacated the UFC Light Heavyweight title.

2020: End of Second Light Heavyweight Championship Reign

In 2020, Jon Jones's second reign as UFC Light Heavyweight Champion ended.

September 24, 2021: Arrest for Domestic Incident at Caesars Palace

On September 24, 2021, Jon Jones was arrested at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas following a domestic incident involving his fiancée. He was charged with domestic battery and tampering with a police vehicle after allegedly headbutting a patrol vehicle and threatening officers.

2023: Heavyweight Champion

In 2023, Jon Jones returned to MMA and won the UFC Heavyweight Championship against Ciryl Gane, becoming a two-division champion.

March 30, 2024: Drug-Testing Agent Files Police Report Alleging Assault and Threats

On March 30, 2024, Crystal Martinez, a drug-testing agent, filed a police report alleging that Jon Jones assaulted her and threatened to kill her during a visit to his home for a urine sample collection.

April 7, 2024: Summons Issued for Assault and Interference with Communications

On April 7, 2024, the Albuquerque Police Department issued Jon Jones a summons citing assault and interference with communications offenses related to the incident with the drug-testing agent.

July 2024: Not Guilty Plea to Misdemeanor Charges

In July 2024, Jon Jones pled not guilty to misdemeanor charges of assault and interference with communications related to an incident with a drug-testing agent.

October 29, 2024: Agreement to Attend Anger Management Classes

On October 29, 2024, Jon Jones agreed to attend four hours of anger management classes to resolve charges related to the alleged assault of a drug-testing agent.

November 19, 2024: UFC Pound-for-Pound Ranking

As of November 19, 2024, Jon Jones is ranked #2 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

February 2025: Partnership with Power to the Patients

In February 2025, Jon Jones partnered with Power to the Patients, a healthcare reform group, to advocate for more affordable and accessible healthcare through real prices and systemwide price transparency.