5 incredible body transformations in MMA

Jon Jones shows off the effects of his seven-month powerlifting regime with a picture of him two years ago — Jones has never stopped making an effort to get even better

The world of mixed martial arts is one where your most important asset is your body. Sure, all great MMA fighters have a great mental gameplan but that is for nought if you don’t have a physical vessel capable of carrying out that gameplan.

Over the years, we have seen plenty of fighters make drastic changes to their bodies in order to become better fighters. One of the biggest reasons a fighter’s career starts to decline is because they don’t take care of themselves and keep themselves at the peak of their physical powers.

For some, it’s losing unnecessary extra pounds, while for others, it is bulking up and heightening their body’s power levels. Whether it’s bulking up or bulking down, there have been some pretty great examples of how an MMA fighter is supposed to take care of their body.

With that in mind, let’s dive into this list of five incredible body transformations in MMA:

#1 Jon Jones

Jones underwent a physical transformation for his comeback

Jon Jones is one of the most naturally gifted fighters on the planet today. The guy is a genetic freak who also has an incredible mind for the sport of mixed martial arts. Another thing about Jones is that he knows exactly what is needed for him to ensure he’s never caught by the chasing pack.

Following his victory over Daniel Cormier, Bones decided that he needed to bulk up in anticipation of a rematch against DC. And, that’s exactly what he did through a gruelling seven-month workout where he shed his relatively skinnier frame for a ripped and muscled one, as we can see above.

While the rematch with DC didn't happen due to Jones’ problems with doping violations, he did put his new body to work before all the controversy against Ovince St. Preux at UFC 197 to pick up the Interim UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.