Ball Girl Special Feature: Jon "Bones" Jones

UFC: Jon Jones, Back in the Ring
Saturday, November 16 at 10 p.m. EST, Madison Square Garden

On this Saturday, we bring you a bonus Ball Girl edition: a spotlight on Jon Jones ahead of his fight against Stipe Miocic. Jon Jones is the complicated, commanding king of MMA, and tonight Madison Square Garden will host what could be one of the final chapters of his saga. Currently the reigning heavyweight champion, he was the light heavyweight champion before that and possesses an overall record of 27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC. His clash with Miocic is a chance to enhance an already goated legacy built on raw talent and unshakable faith — traits that have made him the most captivating fighter in the game.

Jon Jones: From Small-Town New York to Global Fame

Jones’ story begins in Upstate New York. His father was a pastor and led a tight-knit family of four children. Competition was built into the Jones’ household: his two brothers, Arthur and Chandler, both carved successful careers in the NFL.

Jones’ resilience carried him to MMA. His rise was meteoric. At 23, Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history. Standing at 6’4” with an 84-inch reach, Jones brought an alien mix of unorthodox strikes, such as spinning elbows and spinning back kicks, and powerful grappling. His approach was radically different from the traditional hard hits and knockouts that got viewers riled up in previous fights. His opponents cite his fight IQ and patience as his most deadly talents. Despite a technical disqualification early in his career that was disputed by the UFC President and his opponent, Jones is, by most accounts, undefeated. He boasts a record that feels almost mythic and has held titles across multiple divisions.

Life outside the octagon was just as tempestuous. In 2012, Jones was arrested for his first DUI. Jones later revealed a pre-fight ritual of blackouts from binge drinking and drugs. Failed drug tests became a part of his narrative. His behavior outside the ring culminated in a 2015 hit-and-run incident where Jones fled the scene. He became famous for throwing up red flags in rhythm with his achievements.

The Power of "Bones"

Now 37, Jones is still one of the sport’s most influential and enigmatic figures. To give you an idea of the power of Bones: when the UFC introduced new regulation gloves this year, Jones was among the first to test them and the first to push back. Within days, Hunter Campbell, Dana White’s right-hand man, called Jones personally. The outcome? The UFC will revert to the old gloves just for this event, and all fighters on this card will use them. It’s an extraordinary accommodation, underscoring Jones’s clout in the organization and his popularity as a individual fighter.

The stakes are only heightened by Jones’s opponent. Many fans expected to see him face Tom Aspinall, an undefeated heavyweight with an interim title and a new wave of momentum. Instead, he’s up against Miocic, a fellow legend from a previous era. The result is a fight steeped in nostalgia.

Saturday night is an opportunity to witness the story of Jon “Bones” Jones unfold. He is a complicated man, driven by faith, dancing with darkness, and undoubtably, one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Now watch this promo for the fight that will make you feel like you can run through a brick wall:)

“Most fighters are good guys trying to be bad. I’m a bad guy that’s trying to be good. ” - Bones