Jon Jones is making waves again. His journey back to the octagon has officially kicked off.
He shared a snapshot on Instagram, flaunting a moment with his coaches, Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson. “First day back in the gym since my injury, felt amazing,” he captioned it. And just like that, the comeback trail blazed into existence.
Jones had his eyes set on defending his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 last November. But fate had other plans. A torn pectoral muscle yanked him out of the lineup. Not stopping there, he also underwent elbow surgery to remove some pesky bone spurs.
The clash with Miocic is still on the horizon, though the exact date remains a mystery. Jones made a triumphant return at UFC 285 after a three-year hiatus, snatching the heavyweight belt with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane in March 2023. Meanwhile, interim champ Tom Aspinall is itching for a shot at Jones, but it seems he’ll have to wait his turn.
It’s not been all smooth sailing for Jones, though. He found himself in hot water, accused of threatening a drug-testing agent from Drug Free Sport International during a sample collection at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 30. While Jones admitted to dropping some choice words, he firmly denied making any threats.
And there you have it—a glimpse into the rollercoaster world of Jon Jones. From triumphant returns to unexpected hurdles, it’s never dull in the life of this UFC heavyweight champion.