What is Jon "Bones" Jones' Net Worth?
Jon "Bones" Jones is an American mixed martial artist who has a net worth of $3 million. Jon Jones is one of the most well-known fighters signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Many observers consider Jones one of the greatest fighters to ever set foot in the octagon, and he is the current and two-time light heavyweight champion. In 2019, he was ranked as the number one fighter in the UFC pound for pound.
Over the course of his career, Jon has broken many records. He has never been knocked out, and he always wins fights that go to the judges. His only loss came when he was controversially disqualified against Matt Hamill. While Jon Jones has had plenty of bright moments during his career as a professional fighter, controversial moments continue to hamper his reputation. After a number of legal issues and failed drug tests, Jones came to be seen as a somewhat unsavory character within the sport of mixed martial arts.
Early Life
Jonathan Dwight Jones was born on July 19, 1987, in Rochester, New York. He was raised alongside three siblings by a father who was a pastor. All his brothers went on to become professional football players, and his father didn't support Jon's decision to become a professional fighter. During his time in high school, Jones became an active member of the high school wrestling team and became state champion.
Jon earned his now-famous nickname after joining the school football team. Due to his skinny physique, his football coach called him "Bones," and the name stuck. After graduating from high school, Jones attended Iowa Central Community College but quickly dropped out to pursue a career in MMA.
Career
Jon's first fight in the UFC was in 2008. Controversy came in 2009 when he was disqualified for using downward elbow strikes against Matt Hamill. Dana White and various other observers stated that the decision should have been a "no contest" instead of a loss for Jones. In 2011, he defeated Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and became the youngest-ever UFC champion at age 24. In 2012, he controversially refused to fight Chael Sonnen, who had stepped in at the last minute to replace the injured Dan Henderson. As a result, UFC 145 was canceled, and White criticized Jones for causing everyone involved to lose serious amounts of money.
After a classic match against Alexander Gustaffson, Jon was scheduled to fight Daniel Cormier but was suspended due to a failed drug test. Jones eventually returned to beat Daniel Cormier but was stripped of his victory and suspended once again after another drug testing violation. He eventually returned to the UFC in 2018 and continued to show excellent form.
Endorsements
Jones was the first MMA fighter to be sponsored by Nike internationally. He now has his own shoe line and an additional sponsorship deal with Gatorade. He was once sponsored by Reebok and MuscleTech, although the brand cut ties with Jon after a hit-and-run incident in 2015.
(Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Relationships
Jones' longtime girlfriend and fiancée is Jessie Moses. Together, they have three daughters. In some interviews, Jones has alluded to a fourth child that he had prior to his relationship with Moses.
Criticism of Fighting Style
On many occasions, Jones has been criticized for poking people in the eye. On numerous occasions, Jon seems to have deliberately poked his opponents in the eyes by extending his open hand outwards in order to block incoming punches. Slow-motion footage seems to suggest that the moves are deliberate, although Jones and other observers have claimed that it's a purely instinctual, reactionary reflex. Nevertheless, Dana White has referenced incidents involving Jon, and while he didn't accuse him of wrongdoing, the UFC president did say that "it needs to stop."
Daniel Cormier Incident
During an on-stage staredown, Jon leaned in and touched his forehead to Daniel Cormier, sparking a brief scuffle that resulted in shoves and punches. The two fighters were quickly separated, but Jones was fined $50,000 by the Nevada Athletic Commission. He was also sentenced to 40 hours of community service.
Legal Issues
In 2012, Jon was charged with a DUI after crashing into a pole. In 2015, he fled the scene of a traffic collision, abandoning his rental car after running a red light. The resulting crash resulted in a pregnant woman becoming injured. Although he was initially wanted for questioning and could have been charged with a simple misdemeanor, charges against the UFC fighter were elevated to felonies related to purposely leaving the scene of an accident. He later surrendered to the police and was released on bail. As a result of the incident, Jones was stripped of his UFC title. He was eventually sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation.
In 2019, Jon was charged with battery, allegedly assaulting a waitress and touching her without her permission. In 2020, police heard gunshots and discovered Jones drunk once again behind the wheel of a car. They also discovered a handgun in his possession. He was charged with aggravated DWI and negligent use of a firearm. He was sentenced to four days of house arrest as a result.
Drug Testing Controversies
In 2015, Jones failed his first drug test. However, he only tested positive for cocaine, which meant that he could still technically compete in UFC 182 if subsequent results came back clean – which they did. However, Jon tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2016, including an anti-estrogen substance and an aromatase inhibitor. Both substances are banned for UFC fighters, and Jon was handed a one-year suspension – although a panel decided that he took the drugs unintentionally.
In 2017, the same conclusion was reached when Jones tested positive for anabolic steroids. However, he was still stripped of his prior victory against Cormier and his UFC title. In addition, he was given a 15-month suspension. In 2018, Jon returned to the UFC once again – only to test positive once again for trace amounts of anabolic steroids. It was determined that these were trace amounts still present from the 2017 test, and no disciplinary action was taken against the fighter.
Real Estate
In 2017, it was reported that Jones was selling his home in Ithaca with a listed price of $750,000. He originally purchased the 4,400-square-foot property in 2011 while training in the area, and it quickly became an unnecessary expense when he moved to other training locations.
