#1 on Fox 40's Top 40: Jon 'Bones' Jones
Widely regarded as the greatest UFC fighter of all time-Jon Bones Jones comes in as our top spot.
But before that, Jon was a Union-Endicott Tiger, winning the 2005 New York State Championship for wrestling in the 189-pound weight class...
Jones debuted in UFC in 2007 and won his first three fights, was disqualified in his fourth, but returned to dominate through 2010. In March 2011, Jones made history as the youngest fighter to ever win the Light Heavyweight Championship, a title he defended eight times until 2015. That's when Jones was suspended in connection to a hit-and-run incident and was replaced in the Championship fight. Jon would go on to win the interim title one year later in 2016. That title, however, would be stripped due to a failed drug test. Jones recaptured the belt in 2017, but once again was stripped of the title because of doping.
Jon Bones Jones recaptured that title one more time in 2018 and in 2020 set the record for most wins in UFC title fight history with 14.
Jones gave up the title afterward, citing a salary disagreement and a desire to move to heavyweight.
And just last year, three years after his previous fight, Jon would take that title and was set to defend that title in late 2023 before pulling out due to injury.
Jones is still active in the fighting scene with 27 wins, one loss via disqualification, and one no-contest, though he is currently facing misdemeanor charges after being accused of being hostile to a drug tester earlier this year.
Jon owns the UFC's record for most consecutive title defenses and the longest reign as a light heavyweight champion, most UFC title wins and fights, and was the youngest UFC champion at the age of 23.
Jones is without a doubt the greatest UFC fighter of all time, a Hall of Famer and Union-Endicott Tiger and comes in as Fox 40's Number one most impactful local sports figure.