Jon Jones
Active 2008–present · rated in 6 editions across 2 divisions · peak overall 96.0
Jump to:Light HeavyweightHeavyweight
Jon Jones at light heavyweight
Scouting report
From 2012 to 2018, the light heavyweight Jon Jones appeared across four game editions and held a 95 Overall in every one of them. The fights that defined that era: Vitor Belfort (spinning elbow finish), Alexander Gustafsson (close war, decision), Daniel Cormier (twice), and Lyoto Machida (guillotine choke). Born in Rochester, New York, Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history at 23 years old when he stopped Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011, and went on to reshape the 205-pound division through reach, oblique kicks, and a Fight IQ that rates 94–95 across editions.
Peak ratings
By edition
Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history in March 2011 at UFC 128 in Newark, stopping Mauricio Rua with knees and punches, before defending his title against former champions Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, and Alexander Gustafsson in a 2013 Fight of the Year at UFC 165 in Toronto. His 84.5-inch reach, oblique kicks, Greco-Roman trips, and fight IQ are reflected in a 92 Kickboxing and 98 Fight IQ.
In 2014 and 2015, Jones defended his undisputed title by dominating Glover Teixeira across five rounds at UFC 172 in Baltimore and out-wrestling undefeated Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in Las Vegas with multiple takedowns. His range kickboxing, clinch elbows, and championship fight IQ are reflected in his 94 Kickboxing and 99 Fight IQ.
Returning from outside suspensions, Jones defeated Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197 in April 2016 to win the interim title, before scoring a third-round head-kick knockout of Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 in Anaheim in July 2017 in a bout later overturned to a no contest. His diverse kicking arsenal, wrestling defense, and tactical mastery anchor his 95 Kickboxing and 99 Fight IQ.
Jones reclaimed and defended the undisputed UFC Light Heavyweight Championship across 2018 and 2019, knocking out Alexander Gustafsson in their UFC 232 rematch in Los Angeles, outpointing Anthony Smith in Las Vegas, and defeating Thiago Santos in a five-round split decision at UFC 239. His championship durability, wrestling control, and fight management are captured in an 98 Wrestling and 99 Fight IQ.
Why Jon Jones goes early in a 25-0 draft
Jon Jones beat Olympic wrestlers, black belts and champions from three different weight classes, and most of them looked confused while it happened. If he comes up on your spin, you are looking at the closest thing the pool has to a free pick, because almost every category he touches is already good.
Jones attribute by attribute
Boxing. The weak spot. Jones rarely trades in the pocket. He keeps a long lead hand out to post and frame, and he is happier ending a boxing exchange with a clinch elbow than with a combination.
Kickboxing. Range control is the whole story. The oblique kick buckles a lead knee, the front kick stops forward pressure, and the high question-mark kick keeps opponents guessing about where the next one lands.
Wrestling. Elite. He put Daniel Cormier on his back, a former Olympian, and his Greco-Roman clinch trips and reactive doubles rarely fail once he commits.
BJJ. Opportunistic and mean. He choked Lyoto Machida out against the cage and caught Ciryl Gane in a guillotine within minutes. He hunts submissions from top position more than from guard.
Strength. He looks lanky for 205 lbs, yet he wins underhook battles against heavy brawlers by leverage alone.
Durability. He has never been properly knocked down. Dominick Reyes landed a clean head kick and Jones simply kept his feet.
Cardio. Five rounds is a normal night for him. He was still sharp in the championship rounds against the best in the division.
Fight IQ. The best in the dataset. He reads timing early, sets a trap, and then quietly changes the plan when his opponent adjusts.
The trait to take: Fight IQ
Wrestling and kicks get the highlights, but the brain sits under both. A build with Jones's Fight IQ finds the right range and the right phase without you having to plan for it, and it corrects itself mid-fight.
The trait to skip: Boxing
Tight, dirty boxing is where Jones has looked least comfortable. If your board is short on pocket work, pass on his boxing slot and look toward Dustin Poirier or Max Holloway instead.
Jon Jones at heavyweight
Scouting report
Jon Jones moved up to heavyweight for UFC 285 in March 2023, facing Ciryl Gane for the vacant title. He finished Gane with a first-round guillotine choke at 2:04 of round one. Born in Rochester, New York, Jones's heavyweight debut carries an 88 Wrestling and 95 Fight IQ rating, and his 92 Overall grade matches his best light heavyweight editions.
Peak ratings
By edition
Jon Jones at heavyweight: the step up
After years as a light heavyweight, Jon Jones moved up and submitted Ciryl Gane with a first-round guillotine in 2023 to become heavyweight champion. In November 2024 he stopped Stipe Miocic in the third round with a spinning back kick to the body. This card treats him as a heavyweight, and every rating on it is still elite. For a drafter, the interesting part is how little is lost by moving up. Against bigger opponents the card still has a positive answer in every phase, which is rare at this weight.
Heavyweight ratings, category by category
Boxing. His lowest at 90, which is still very high. Boxing is not his main weapon.
Kickboxing. Excellent at 94. Long kicks and unusual attacks are hard for larger men to handle.
Wrestling. Elite at 98. He can take down bigger opponents and control them.
BJJ. Excellent at 94. Chokes come fast when he gets a dominant position.
Strength. Very high at 93. Size rarely matters much against him.
Durability. Excellent at 94. He is very hard to hurt.
Cardio. Excellent at 92. He stays sharp deep into a fight.
Fight IQ. His best at 99. Few fighters read a fight the way he does.
The clearest pick: Fight IQ at 99
Fight IQ at 99 ties for the highest rating of any category in the pool. It lifts every other category and lets the card find a way to win.
Where he is merely great: Boxing
Boxing at 90 is his lowest number and still elite. The card does not have a real weakness, so treat this as a pick to build around, and spend your other slots on whatever the rest of your lineup lacks.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Jon Jones, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Magomed Ankalaevbest wrestling 92 · weakest bjj 82
- Daniel Cormierbest wrestling 97 · weakest kickboxing 78
- Jan Blachowiczbest boxing 90 · weakest bjj 85
- Glover Teixeirabest bjj 94 · weakest kickboxing 76
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- The most complete fighters: a guide that fits Jon Jones's strongest attribute, Fight IQ.
Draft Jon Jones into your build
Jon Jones enters the pool on any spin landing on light heavyweight or heavyweight between 2010 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Jon Jones is regarded by the MMA community, with earlier MMA video games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Jon Jones's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read how we check our write-ups in our editorial standards.