UFC 100 saw Jon Jones' last win before the infamous DQ loss put a blemish on his perfect resume
Jon Jones is widely heralded as one of the greatest MMA fighters ever, not just owing to his well-rounded skill set but also because he boasts an uncanny ability to almost always end up as the winner. Apart from former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA), 'Bones' is one of the rare fighters who are virtually undefeated despite competing at the highest levels of the sport.
Jones' professional MMA record is that of 27 victories, 1 defeat, and 1 NC (No Contest). While many view the American MMA stalwart as an unbeatable phenom, the fact remains that he does have an official loss on his record. Today, we revisit the lone blemish on his otherwise superlative record.
Jon Jones' win at UFC 100 was followed by his infamous defeat
Jon Jones holds the distinction of being one of the select few MMA fighters who competed at the landmark UFC 100 event on July 11, 2009. A rising star in the light heavyweight division at that time, 'Bones' dominantly defeated Jake O'Brien via second-round submission at UFC 100, his final fight as an undefeated MMA fighter.
Jones then faced Matt Hamill in a light heavyweight bout at The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights Finale on Dec. 5, 2009. 'Bones' dominated the fight but eventually utilized the 12-6 elbows, a maneuver that's illegal in MMA as per the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
As a result, the fight was stopped, and Hamill was declared the winner via DQ (Disqualification) in the very first round. Jones' MMA record fell to 9-1 with his first, and thus far only, defeat as a professional mixed martial artist.
Watch the Jones-Hamill stoppage below:
Why did Jon Jones miss UFC 200?
Jon Jones and other MMA personalities, including UFC CEO Dana White, have often indicated that the aforementioned loss shouldn't be counted as one. Regardless, after that defeat, 'Bones' captured the UFC light heavyweight title and defended it multiple times. In the following years, he was stripped of the 205-pound title more than once due to run-ins with the law and failed drug tests.
As the UFC approached its second centenary numbered PPV (pay-per-view) event, UFC 200 (July 9, 2016), then-interim UFC light heavyweight titlist Jones was booked to fight then-UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. Their title rematch was booked to headline UFC 200.
However, 'Bones' tested positive for banned PEDs before the event, and was stripped of his interim title, and couldn't compete at UFC 200. Meanwhile, 'DC' faced Anderson Silva in a non-title bout at UFC 200.
Why did Jon Jones miss UFC 300?
Jon Jones eventually reclaimed his light heavyweight title in the ensuing years, although he tested positive for banned PEDs well after the UFC 200 fiasco as well. After his last light heavyweight title defense in February 2020, he took a three-year hiatus and bulked up for a move to the heavyweight division.
Jones made his MMA comeback in March 2023, debuting at heavyweight and besting Ciryl Gane via first-round submission to capture the vacant UFC heavyweight title. 'Bones' was subsequently scheduled to defend his belt against heavyweight great Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023, but he suffered a pectoral injury that sidelined him for months.
During the injury hiatus, Jones underwent elbow surgery, too. Furthermore, in an interview with Submission Radio, the 36-year-old claimed that the UFC offered him the opportunity to fight at UFC 300 (April 13, 2024). The Albuquerque native, who's still on hiatus, suggested that he didn't want to accept the relatively short-notice offer, which is why he declined it.
Nevertheless, the consensus is that his long-awaited UFC heavyweight title defense against Miocic will come to fruition this year (2024) unless his latest conflict with the law delays it.
As for UFC 300, it'll be headlined by a title showdown between reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former divisional kingpin Jamahal Hill.