fbpx

Jon Jones Next Fight: 3 Opponent options For ‘Bones’ UFC Return, Including Alex Pereira

The Jon Jones next fight news should arrive early in 2025. Until then, we look at three likely opponents for his UFC return and recap his dominant win over fellow legend Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.

Related: UFC tonight – Fight card, odds, and watch times for the next UFC event

Who will Jon Jones next fight be against?

Jones further solidified his place as the greatest MMA fighter of all time with his November victory over Miocic. With “Bones” being near the end of his career, the options for who he faces are limited. That is why if he does return to the Octagon, bouts with Alex Pereira, Tom Aspinall, or Francis Ngannou would be next.

  • Poatan: This is the fight Jones most wants and has made that clear publicly. If he is willing to relinquish his heavyweight belt and Pereira wins his next fight, it would be surprising if the company passes on the opportunity.
  • The Englishman: This is the fight that needs to happen and the one most fans want. A matchup to decide an undisputed heavyweight king is as big a fight as can be made in the company right now.
  • Predator: This is a dream fight that is unlikely. However, if Jones dropped the belt and the same Saudis that backed the PFL were willing to make the UFC and Jones an offer they can’t refuse, it could happen in 2025.

Related: Dana White Lays Out 2-Fight Plan For Jon Jones With UFC 309 Win: Is Tom Aspinall A Part Of It?

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic recap

jon jones next fight
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Jon Jones was a sizable favorite heading into his fight with Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. And over three rounds he showed why oddsmakers were right all along.

What Happened: Just like he has done in countless other wins, “Bones” smartly used his length and diverse striking attack to beat up and wear down a well-aged former heavyweight great. Eventually, he got to Miocic in the third round and finished him with a vicious spinning back-kick to the body.

Also Read: UFC heavyweight rankings – Who are the top 10 fighters right now?

The Fallout: Jones was already considered the greatest fighter of all time. All this latest win did was add another legendary fighter and former champion’s pelt to his wall of wins. The fact that Jones made it look easy was the icing on the victory cake.

What’s Next? Jones has made it clear he wants Pereira next. There is a good chance he could wait months for that fight to finally happen. Or perhaps he takes the bold step of retiring from the sport.

Is Jon Jones the greatest fighter ever?

It is hard not to consider Jon Jones as the greatest fighter ever. He is 27-1 and his lone defeat is a controversial disqualification in a bout he was dominating back in 2009. During his career, he has beaten countless Hall-of-Fame caliber fighters and former champions, is the best light heavyweight fighter in UFC history, and is one of the few to win championships in two divisions.

The only person who has come close to beating “Bones” during his time in the sport really is himself.

Related: How UFC Scoring Works – Everything You Need To Know On How To Win Fights Inside The Octagon

jon jones next fight
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The greatest fighter of all time: There are many UFC competitors who were cage-fighting legends. However, few have the resume of Jones. It’s why he probably has the best case to be called the greatest MMA fighter ever.

  • Jon Jones record: 28-1 (11 knockouts, 7 submissions)
  • The 37-year-old has only one loss, but his disqualification defeat to Matt Hamill in 2009 has been disputed as an example of terrible MMA referee work, and many still view him as being undefeated after 27 fights.
  • Jones has beaten 10 men who have held a major MMA championship during their career. Six of them are UFC champions.
  • “Bones” has wins over Hall-of-Fame caliber fighters in Daniel Cormier, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Mauricio Rua, Glover Teixeira, and Stipe Miocic.
  • From 2011 to 2019, only one other man — Daniel Cormier — held the UFC light heavyweight title besides Jones.
  • Jones made history in 2023 by becoming the latest fighter to be a two-division UFC champion when he beat Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285.
  • If you typed “Jon Jones brothers” into a browser search you might be surprised to find out that both his siblings have played in the NFL. His younger brother Chandler is one of the best edge rushers in the league over the last decade.
  • The UFC superstar has been arrested several times during his decade-long run in the spotlight. One of the most infamous was a 2015 car accident where a pregnant woman broke her arm, and Jones ditched his car and ran off before the police arrived on the scene.
  • Jones has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs on two occasions. His 2017 positive test led to his TKO win over Cormier, in their rematch, to be overturned to a no-contest.
  • The New York native has battled alcohol issues for years and it was the source of his 2021 arrest in Las Vegas. The arrest came hours after being inducted into the “Fight Wing” of the UFC Hall of Fame.

Related: Have There Ever Been UFC Deaths? We Take A Look At The Darkside Of Fighting Inside A Cage

Jon Jones’ net worth

The measure of a fighter’s success is in dollars and cents they stack up from a career of professional fisticuffs. Jon Jones’ net worth is estimated to be $3 million.

Did Jon Jones ever get married?

Many wonder about who is Jon Jones’ wife. But he actually hasn’t gotten hitched and instead has been engaged for over nine years to his fiancee Jesse Moses. She is also the mother of his three children.

After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka... More about Jason Burgos

Mentioned In This Article::

More About: