“I think it’s hard to find someone better than Jon Jones,” MMA legend Georges St-Pierre remarked last year. In 2011, 23-year-old Jon Jones made history by becoming the youngest UFC champion after dismantling Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua to claim the light heavyweight title. At the time, few could have imagined that this was only the beginning of an era-defining career. Fast forward to 2025, and at 37 years old, ‘Bones’ has solidified his status as one of MMA’s all-time greats.

Despite his well-documented struggles outside the cage, his dominance inside it remains unmatched. At UFC 285, ‘Bones’ became just the eighth fighter in UFC history to capture championships in two divisions and since then collected scalps at heavyweight. However, the most prominent record garnered by the consensus MMA GOAT is beyond anything ever seen in the promotion before. We are talking about Jones and his parade of title defenses, both at 205lbs and 265lbs! And surprisingly, his tally of 12 title defenses is more than the combined number of all the current male UFC champions in 2025. Let’s have a look at the numbers!

A battle between Jones’ 12 and 10 combined that covers every champ in the UFC today! Talk about greatness. Recently, ‘Bones’ took to Instagram to celebrate this milestone with the caption “Small Flex“, sharing a post that read, “More title defenses than every other current male champion combined.” His post included images of reigning champions like Islam Makhachev, Dricus Du Plessis, and newly crowned light heavyweight king Magomed Ankalaev.

However, Ankalaev didn’t hesitate to take a shot at Jones’ legacy by bringing up his controversial past. “Yes, but all these champions are clean. He’s a big cheater, we all know this,” Ankalaev wrote, reigniting the ever-present debate over the Albuquerque native’s GOAT status.

While Jones has cemented his legacy with an incredible 12 title defenses. Moreover, he has surpassed the combined total of 10 held by other division champions. Interestingly, he also holds the unfortunate record of being the only fighter in UFC history to be stripped of a title three times. Between 2015 and 2017, his name frequently made headlines for all the wrong reasons. In 2015, Jones was stripped of his light heavyweight title following his arrest for an infamous “hit-and-run” incident. This is when he was involved in a crash that injured a pregnant woman.

Fans expected him to return at UFC 200 in July 2016 against Daniel Cormier, but days before, USADA pulled Jones from the fight and suspended him for a year after he failed a test. This also led to the stripping of his interim title. However, Jones made his comeback in 2017 at UFC 214, reclaiming the 205lbs strap with a knockout victory over ‘DC’.

Much to his misery, this victory too was short-lived. Just months later, the NSAC overturned his win to a “No Contest” after he tested positive for the banned substance Turinabol. This led to yet another title being stripped from him. Throughout his career, controversy has followed ‘Bones’ at every turn. Yet, despite his troubles, one thing has remained constant. He continues to have the unwavering support of UFC head honcho Dana White. Still, his setbacks haven’t stopped former opponents and fellow fighters from questioning his legacy. Let’s dive deeper into the ongoing debate!

Daniel Cormier on Jon Jones’ GOAT status due to his controversial past

For many, Jon Jones is considered the legitimate GOAT! But for Daniel Cormier, the answer is a definitive no. The rivalry between Jones and ‘DC’ is one of the most storied in MMA history. However, it eventually took a backseat to the intense feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Their animosity played out in the Octagon twice. ‘Bones’ won on both occasions at UFC 182 and UFC 214 respectively (the second one turned into a no-contest).

Cormier has long been vocal about his frustrations with Jones, labeling these controversies surrounding the former UFC champion as “cheating” that has plagued his career. Moreover, Cormier believes that Jones doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov or Georges St-Pierre, whose careers have been marked by discipline, consistency, and integrity.

During a UFC 312 Q&A session in Australia, Cormier reiterated his stance: “The guy has really fought through three generations of fighters. He fought that early generation with (Lyoto) Machida and them. He went through my generation, and now he’s fighting a whole other generation of guys. So yeah, of course, he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time. But when you do dirty sh-t, you don’t get to be called the greatest of all time.”

What’s your take on Jon Jones’ legacy? Despite the controversies and setbacks surrounding his drug-related issues, do you think he still holds the GOAT status? Or do Magomed Ankalaev and Daniel Cormier have a valid point? Share your thoughts below.