Despite being considered the greatest fighter of all time, former UFC champion Jon Jones has a notable asterisk slapped on his record — including one loss — in rather controversial fashion.
Jones, who called time officially on his polarizing career in combat sports overnight, does so having landed gold twice at light heavyweight, and in his 2023 return, the heavyweight crown.
However, receiving stark criticism for his decision to avoid a title unification pairing with interim gold holder, Tom Aspinall, he has also been ripped continually on social media in the hours since UFC boss Dana White announced his retirement.
Criticized for both his decision to “duck” a showdown with Aspinall, as well as his multiple indiscretions with anti-doping agencies during his tenure, Jones’ work while in the Octagon, however, is undeniable, especially at the lightweight limit.
Suffering just a single — albeit hugely controversial disqualification loss– Jones was axed from the unbeaten column in his showdown with Matt Hamill.
Co-headlining UFC TUF 10 finale back in 2009, Jones was en route to a dominant win over Hamill. However, during an exchange, he levelled a grounded Hamill with a slew of 12-6 angled elbows, leading to a stoppage from referee Steve Mazzagatti.
With Mazzagatti unable to determine if Hamill could continue, Jones was disqualified for the use of an illegal technique.
15 years ago, Matt Hamill became the first and only person to beat Jon Jones pic.twitter.com/var45hE7Rm
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) December 5, 2024
But as far as the UFC boss, White, is concerned, it simply doesn’t count.
White’s bid to scrub Jones’ UFC record
Arguing in the time since with the nature of Jones’ defeat, White has gone on record time and time again to dispute the stoppage. Blasting referee, Mazzagatti, for the outcome, White had made his intentions clear to scrub Jones’ record.
Particularly during his disappointing heavyweight run, White explained how he was pursuing a bid to clear that loss to Hamill from Jones’ resume.
“I mean, realistically — if you look at all the people that he’s fought, he’s never lost a fight,” White said on The Jim Rome Show. “It kills me that — that one [loss] is on his record. 26-1.
“You have to understand for the people that don’t know, this was during a time when the Nevada State Athletic Commission was very weak,” White added.
“And there was a referee in there that stopped the fight and called Jones the loser in that fight. A fight he was dominating and should have been finished. Instead of disqualifying Jones, they should have stopped the fight. Jones really should be 27-0,” the UFC boss asserted.
But, given his grievances with Jones amid his retirement, one shouldn’t expect White to continue his campaign to make his record gleaming and undefeated.
