Top fighters of the 2010s discussion: Is Jon Jones worthy of No. 1 ranking?

What does it say that Jon Jones is still widely considered the best of the decade despite his checkered past? The MMA Junkie gang debates.

Deciding on the top 10 fighters over an entire decade is an invitation for an open-ended debate.

Throw in a mandate from MMA Junkie managing editor Simon Samano that each person on the staff was free to set their own criteria on what qualifies as worthy of consideration for the decade’s best list, and a staff that pulls from a wide variety of ages stationed all around the globe, and you have plenty of leeway for a diverse variety of selections.

The end result was a vibrant list, one that demands more conversation. So we gathered MMA Junkie’s Las Vegas crew — MMA Junkie Radio personalities “Gorgeous” George and “Goze,” fight analyst Dan Tom, and lead reporter John Morgan — to debate the results of our top 10 fighters of the 2010s in a roundtable format.

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In this segment, the guys discuss [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]’ placement at No. 1. No one in their right mind would deny the UFC light heavyweight champion is one of the greatest talents ever to step foot in the cage. But his history of drug-test violations caused some panelists to deny Jones the top spot, and one to keep him off his list altogether. What do we make of this?

Watch the video above to hear the conversation about Jones’ No. 1 status. And to watch the full roundtable, check out the video below.

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Way-too-early top 10 MMA fighters of the 2020s

Israel Adesanya is among the fighters who could finish the 2020s as one of the decade’s best.

I’m sure you’ve checked out MMA Junkie’s countdown of our fighters of the decade for the 2010s and have your own opinion on who would have made your list and what order you would have listed them. Now, with a new decade upon us, it’s time to look forward and ponder which names might dominate the MMA landscape over the course of the next 10 years.

And that hugely important job of pugilistic prognosticator fell to yours truly as I pick up the baton and attempt to compile a list of fighters who could lead our fighters of the decade list from 2020-2029.

So here, in no particular order, are my 10 selections in this way-too-early list:

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Jon Jones

Jon Jones

Let’s not mess around here. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, and there’s nobody on the horizon that’s likely to change that soon. And with Jones dominating the UFC’s light heavyweight division, a brand-new chapter could soon open up for “Bones” when he takes the plunge and moves up to heavyweight.

Skill-wise, there’s no doubt he has everything in his locker to be every bit as dominant at heavyweight as he currently is at 205 pounds, but there’s always that X-factor of heavyweight punching power. Jones tends to drag his opponents into deep water, but at heavyweight it only takes one shot to end your night.

To that end, at 32, Jones’ style has avoided taking damage for the bulk of his career. Heavyweights tend to last longer and peak later than other weight classes: Witness Daniel Cormier holding the UFC belt past age 40. Current champ Stipe Miocic is 37, and his first reign began when he beat a then-38-year-old Fabricio Werdum.

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The challenge that lies ahead for Jones is arguably the most fascinating – and dangerous – of his MMA career. And the matchups he’ll face over the course of the coming years will make for some of the most-watched fights of the decade.

He was our No. 1 fighter for the 2010s, and he’s my early-money favorite to finish the 2020s as not only MMA Junkie’s fighter of the decade once again, but also as the consensus greatest mixed martial artist that ever lived.

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Top 10 MMA fighters of the 2010s: Discussion video, facts about our list

How did we reach our overall list, and did we get it right?

In pitching the MMA Junkie staff on coming up with a composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the 2010s, I had people asking me about the criteria. My answer was simple: There is no criteria. Whatever you think it means to be among the 10 greatest fighters of the last decade, that’s the criteria.

To me, it’s better this way. I could’ve emphasized in-cage results, in which case No. 1 ends up being [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] without question. Same for emphasizing impact on the sport: [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] comes out on top easily. But what fun would that have been? There’s so much more to consider when trying to pick the top 10 fighters of the last 10 years among a pool of talent that never has been better.

The beauty of our list is that all 14 MMA Junkie staff members, who’ve spent so many years covering the sport, submitted individual top 10 lists. No discussion, no debate, no one person’s bias determined our final rankings. We all had a say in this. From there, it was a matter of mathematics – add up points for each fighter ranked and divide by 14 to determine the final rankings.

Did we get it right? There’s no such thing with these lists. But I’d like to think ours is as official as it gets.

For reaction to our top 10, watch the roundtable discussion video above with MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”

Below is a ranking of all 26 fighters included, as well as notes about our list.

COMPLETE RANKINGS

1. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]
2. [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag]
3. [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag]
4. [autotag]Georges St. Pierre[/autotag]
5. Conor McGregor
6. [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]
7. [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag]
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov
9. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]
10. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]
11. [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag]
12. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]
13. [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag]
14. [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]
15. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag]
16. [autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag]
17. [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]
18. [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag]
19-t. [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]
19-t. [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag]
21. [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]
22-t. [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag]
22-t. [autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag]
24. [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag]
25. [autotag]Carlos Condit[/autotag]
26. [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag]

NOTES

  • 26 different fighters were included in at least one staff member’s top 10
  • 8 different fighters were included in only one ranking
  • Individual No. 1 rankings: Jon Jones (7), Demetrious Johnson (3), Georges St-Pierre (2), Daniel Cormier (1), Ronda Rousey (1)
  • Cormier was the only fighter to be included in each of the 14 rankings.
  • Jones and Conor McGregor each were excluded from one staff member’s list.
  • Of 8 fighters included in only one ranking, Cain Velasquez was highest (No. 3); Eddie Alvarez was lowest (No. 10).

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Mike Bohn, senior reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Jose Aldo
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Anderson Silva
6. Conor McGregor
7. Max Holloway
8. Tony Ferguson
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Daniel Cormier

Dave Doyle, senior editor
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Daniel Cormier
3, Jon Jones
4. Anderson Silva
5. Georges St-Pierre
6. Cris Cyborg
7. Jose Aldo
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov
9. Conor McGregor
10. Eddie Alvarez

Matt Erickson, assistant managing editor
1. Daniel Cormier
2. Demetrious Johnson
3. Amanda Nunes
4. Conor McGregor
5. Max Holloway
6. Patricio Freire
7. Ronda Rousey
8. Georges St-Pierre
9. Ryan Bader
10. Jose Aldo

Brian Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Jon Jones
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Henry Cejudo
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Khabib Nurmagomedov
7. Stipe Miocic
8. Amanda Nunes
9. Max Holloway
10. Ryan Bader

George Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host
1. Jon Jones
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Khabib Nurmagomedov
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Amanda Nunes
7. Cris Cyborg
8. Stipe Miocic
9. Conor McGregor
10. Henry Cejudo

Farah Hannoun, reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Ronda Rousey
3. Conor McGregor
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Amanda Nunes
8. Max Holloway
9. Stipe Miocic
10. Henry Cejudo

Ken Hathaway, senior video editor
1. Jon Jones
2. Amanda Nunes
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Max Holloway
5. Conor McGregor
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Georges St-Pierre
8. Anderson Silva
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Cris Cyborg

Simon Head, reporter
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Daniel Cormier
3. Jon Jones
4. Amanda Nunes
5. Donald Cerrone
6. Georges St-Pierre
7. Conor McGregor
8. Douglas Lima
9. Cris Cyborg
10. Michael Bisping

Nolan King, reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Daniel Cormier
3. Amanda Nunes
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Max Holloway
6. Stipe Miocic
7. Georges St. Pierre
8. Jose Aldo
9. Conor McGregor
10. Khabib Nurmagomedov

John Morgan, lead staff reporter
1. Jon Jones
2. Conor McGregor
3. Ronda Rousey
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Daniel Cormier
6. Demetrious Johnson
7. Amanda Nunes
8. Jose Aldo
9. Michael Bisping
10. Donald Cerrone

Simon Samano, managing editor
1. Demetrious Johnson
2. Georges St-Pierre
3. Jon Jones
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Khabib Nurmagomedov
6. Amanda Nunes
7. Tony Ferguson
8. Conor McGregor
9. Ronda Rousey
10. Max Holloway

Danny Segura, reporter
1. Ronda Rousey
2. Jon Jones
3. Cain Velasquez
4. Georges St-Pierre
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Jose Aldo
7. Cris Cyborg
8. Conor McGregor
9. Khabib Nurmagomedov
10. Daniel Cormier

Abbey Subhan, video editor
1. Georges St-Pierre
2. Conor McGregor
3. Jon Jones
4. Daniel Cormier
5. Amanda Nunes
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Frankie Edgar
8. Anderson Silva
9. Carlos Condit
10. Ronda Rousey

Dan Tom, fight analyst
1. Jon Jones
2. Jose Aldo
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov
4. Dominick Cruz
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Conor McGregor
7. Ronda Rousey
8. Daniel Cormier
9. Max Holloway
10. Tony Ferguson

Top 10 MMA fighters of the 2010s

Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones are among those selected by MMA Junkie as the greatest fighters of the decade.

The 2010s, arguably the most important decade in the history of mixed martial arts, is coming to a close. One reason why the years 2010 to 2019 have been so pivotal to the sport is the sheer talent that exists across all divisions – men and women, from flyweight (which didn’t even exist until February 2012) to heavyweight. Simply put, the number of great fighters to grace cages and rings across the world never has been higher.

Here at MMA Junkie, we’ve put together a composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the past decade. All 14 staff members submitted personal top-10 lists to create our overall list. Rest assured: We took this seriously. 

Without further ado, our complete list:

10. Max Holloway

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Decade resume

  • Record: 21-5
  • UFC featherweight champion: June 3, 2017-Dec. 14, 2019
  • 13-fight winning streak
  • Key victories over Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo (twice), Brian Ortega, Frankie Edgar

Read more from senior reporter Mike Bohn

9. Jose Aldo

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Decade resume

  • Record: 12-5
  • WEC featherweight champion: April 24, 2010-Sept. 30, 2010
  • UFC featherweight champion: Oct. 28, 2010-Dec. 12, 2015; July 9, 2016-June 3, 2017
  • 9-fight winning streak
  • Key victories over Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, Chad Mendes (twice), Frankie Edgar (twice), Chan Sung Jung

Read more from reporter Nolan King

8. Khabib Nurmagomedov

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Decade resume

  • Record: 21-0
  • UFC lightweight champion: April 7, 2018-present
  • Key victories: Rafael dos Anjos, Al Iaquinta, Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier

Read more from reporter Farah Hannoun

7. Ronda Rousey

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Decade resume

  • Record: 12-2
  • Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion: March 3, 2012-Aug. 18, 2012
  • UFC women’s bantamweight champion: Feb. 23, 2013-Nov. 15, 2015
  • 12-fight winning streak
  • Key victories: Miesha Tate (twice), Liz Carmouche, Sara McMann

Read more from lead staff reporter John Morgan

6. Amanda Nunes

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Decade resume

  • Record: 15-3
  • UFC women’s bantamweight champion: Dec. 30, 2016-present
  • UFC women’s featherweight champion: Dec. 29, 2018-present
  • 10-fight winning streak
  • Key victories: Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm

Read more from reporter Farah Hannoun

5. Conor McGregor

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Decade resume

  • Record: 18-3
  • UFC featherweight champion: July 11, 2015-Nov. 26, 2016
  • UFC lightweight champion: Nov. 12, 2016-April 7, 2018
  • 15-fight winning streak
  • Key victories: Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Nate Diaz, Eddie Alvarez

Read more from reporter Simon Head

4. Georges St-Pierre

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Decade resume

  • Record: 7-0
  • UFC welterweight champion: Jan. 1, 2010-Dec. 13, 2013
  • UFC middleweight champion: Nov. 4, 2017-Dec. 7, 2017
  • Key victories: Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jake Shields, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks, Michael Bisping

Read more from reporter Danny Segura

3. Daniel Cormier

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Decade resume

  • Record: 21-2
  • UFC light heavyweight champion: May 23, 2015-Dec. 28, 2018
  • UFC heavyweight champion: July 7, 2018-Aug. 17, 2019
  • 15-fight winning streak
  • Key victories: Josh Barnett, Frank Mir, Dan Henderson, Anthony Johnson (twice), Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva, Stipe Miocic, Derrick Lewis

Read more from senior reporter Mike Bohn

2. Demetrious Johnson

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Decade resume

  • Record: 22-3-1
  • UFC flyweight champion: Sept. 22, 2012-Aug. 4, 2018
  • ONE championship flyweight grand prix winner
  • 13-fight winning streak, including UFC record for consecutive title defenses (11)
  • Key victories: Joseph Benavidez (twice), John Dodson (twice), Henry Cejudo, Kyoji Horiguchi, Ray Borg

Read more from senior editor Dave Doyle

1. Jon Jones

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Decade resume

  • Record: 16-0
  • UFC light heavyweight champion: March 19, 2011-April 28, 2015; April 23, 2016-Nov. 9, 2016 (interim); Dec. 29, 2018-present
  • Key victories: Ryan Bader, “Shogun” Rua, “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Alexander Gustafsson (twice), Daniel Cormier

Read more from lead staff reporter John Morgan

Top MMA fighters of the decade, 2010-2019: Jon Jones ranked No. 1

What Jon Jones’ legacy could be had he not lost time to multiple infractions both in and out of the cage is mind boggling.

The 2010s, arguably the most important decade in the history of mixed martial arts, is coming to a close. One reason why the past 10 years have been so pivotal to the sport is the sheer talent that exists across all divisions – men and women, from flyweight (which didn’t even exist until February 2012) to heavyweight. Simply put, the number of great fighters to grace cages and rings across the world never has been higher.

Here at MMA Junkie, we’ve put together a staff-wide, composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the past decade. Today, our countdown concludes with a reflection on No. 1: Jon Jones.

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[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is a name that elicits a more visceral reaction among MMA fans than perhaps anyone else to step foot in the octagon over the past decade. Call him the “greatest of all time,” and you’ll have no shortage of supporters. Label him a waste of talent or a cheat, and you won’t have a hard time finding people to rally behind that call, either.

But when you sift through the emotions brought forth by the man they call “Bones,” you’ll undoubtedly find him deserving of the spot as MMA Junkie’s fighter of the decade.

Jones entered this stretch on the heels of his first loss – albeit a rather dubious disqualification call against Matt Hamill. While it seemed an unfortunate to spoil a top prospect’s perfect record at the time, it’s even more glaring now, 10 years later, that it remains Jones’ only blemish on an otherwise stellar record.

Jones’ 2010 campaign featured a pair of devastating wins over known commodities in Brandon Vera and Vladimir Matyshenko, each shocking not necessarily for the youngster’s victory but rather in the state he left each of his foes: absolutely smashed in less than a round. Then came what was expected to be hist first real test, a matchup with “The Ultimate Fighter 8” winner Ryan Bader, who still owned an undefeated record at the time. Jones submitted him in the second.

At just 23 years old, Jones was then given his first dose of MMA royalty, earning a title shot against then-UFC light heavyweight champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. Despite taking the bout on just six weeks’ notice, the up-and-comer entered as the favorite against the legend, so his successful outing wasn’t a shock. But again, it was the way Jones absolutely manhandled Rua en route to a third-round TKO that was so shocking, making him the youngest champion in UFC history.

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Dana White understandably was thrilled to have such a marketable young star on his hands, but the night of Jones’ title win, the UFC president foreshadowed a little of what would come to define the champion during his unparalleled run.

“His life is going to change in so many ways starting right now,” White told MMA Junkie the night Jones won the title. “It’s actually scary. When you get to this point, I worry about guys.

“He’s going to have to make a lot of choices over the next couple of years – personally, professionally. He’s in for a very wild, weird, crazy ride right now.”

Even White couldn’t have realized how right his prediction would be.

In the cage, Jones’ run of destruction continued, defending his title with victories over former champions and MMA luminaries Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans. Out of the cage, though, it was a hint of self-destruction that began to concern some observers.

In May 2012, Jones was arrested for driving under the influence after wrapping a high-priced Bentley around a telephone pole. Later that year, Jones played a chief role in the cancellation of UFC 151 when he refused to take on Chael Sonnen as a replacement opponent for Dan Henderson on a little more than one week’s notice. Again, it was White who was unapologetic in his observation, calling it “one of the most selfish, disgusting decisions” he’d ever seen.

Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182. (USA TODAY Sports)

Of course, the sport of MMA moves fast, and once the rubble of UFC 151 was in the rear-view mirror, Jones would continue to add more MMA notables to his hit list, including Vitor Belfort and Sonnen, though neither of those wins came without some drama. Against Belfort, Jones would have to fight out of real danger with an armbar that looked incredibly threatening. Meanwhile, though Sonnen was overmatched in their UFC 159 meeting, Jones did suffer a compound fracture of his toe in the one-round affair, and had he not ended the fight with 27 seconds left in the opening frame, it’s almost certain the phalanx poking through his skin would have ended the fight on the stool.

But Jones’ stiffest test came against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, a September 2013 clash that was a true instant classic and remains one of the greatest title fights in UFC history. Jones was pushed to the limit by a Swedish challenger who was able to match him in stature, though he came up short by the narrowest of margins on the judges’ cards thanks to some late heroics from Jones.

Jones’ star was flying high. He was going mainstream, with sponsorships from the likes of blue chip sports properties such as Nike and Gatorade. Then things took a turn for the worse. Perhaps it was inevitable.

At just 26 years old, Jones was rich, incredibly successful in his field, and even being called “The Baddest Mother(expletive) On Earth.” But his questionable decision making would complicate his journey.

As his now-legendary rivalry with Daniel Cormier began to unfold, Jones kicked off an infamous 2014 brawl in the lobby of Las Vegas’ MGM Grand by firing a punch at “DC” during a promotional faceoff. Of course, theatrics such as those rarely prove detrimental in MMA. Neither did a failed drug test prior to the clash, which identified cocaine metabolites in Jones’ system. Instead, the champ reaped the glory of a UFC 182 victory over his rival – though the story was anything but over.

Jon Jones after UFC 232.

After posting an 11-0 record in the first five years of the decade, Jones’ output would slow dramatically over the second half of the span, due almost entirely to out-of-cage incidents. He was stripped of the title following his involvement in a 2015 hit-and-run, fleeing the scene of an automobile accident that involved a pregnant woman. The following year, he tested positive for a pair of banned substances ahead of a planned rematch with Cormier and was pulled from the scheduled UFC 200 booking – thought it was later ruled Jones did not ingest the substances knowingly.

In July 2017, Jones did finally have a second meeting with Cormier, scoring a brilliant third-round knockout and seeming to reenergize his career. However, Jones again was found to have banned substances in his system, and though the presence of the chemicals was again ruled inadvertent, he was again stripped of the title, and the result against Cormier was overturned to a no contest.

Sadly, it wasn’t the last time a drug test would force Jones into the spotlight, with a 2018 screen eventually responsible for the move of an entire event, UFC 232, from Las Vegas to Los Angeles when the Nevada State Athletic Commission ruled that it didn’t have time to fully review Jones’ case ahead of the event after a trace amount of turinabol was found in his system a little more than a week out from the fight. Oh, and just for good measure, 2019 featured an alleged battery in a strip club, to which Jones pleaded no contest.

At just 32, Jones is still in his athletic prime, and he will undoubtedly continue to break UFC records. Where he would stand right now, had he not lost time to these multiple infractions both in and out of the cage, is somewhat mind boggling. But that’s what makes Jones’ legacy such an interesting dilemma: For every accolade you cite, there exists an equally powerful criticism ready to be unleashed.

Jones is not exactly a model citizen. He also is not a man you would want standing between yourself and your MMA goals because thus far, Jones has proven to be unbeatable.

As White predicted, the past 10 years have, indeed, been “a very wild, weird, crazy ride,” but Jones has emerged from it as perhaps the greatest fighter of all time, and certainly an easy choice as MMA Junkie’s No. 1 fighter of the 2010s.

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Jon Jones, Jason McCourty and Marcus Cannon present at Patriots practice

The New England Patriots had a low-speed practice on Christmas Eve ahead of the Miami Dolphins matchup.

The New England Patriots had a low-speed practice on Christmas Eve ahead of the Miami Dolphins matchup.

Marcus Cannon, Jason McCourty and Jonathan Jones all were present at practice after missing last week’s game. McCourty left the game with a groin injury, Cannon exited the game with an ankle injury and Jones missed the game entirely with a groin injury.

Julian Edelman and Tom Brady were present as well.

The Patriots are looking to clinch a first-round bye with a victory against the Dolphins on Sunday.

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UFC champ Jon Jones gives away winter coats to homeless in Albuquerque

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is giving back during the holiday season.

UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is giving back during the holiday season.

Jones’ charitable side came out days before Christmas as on Monday, he spent several hours giving away winter coats to those less fortunate in Albuquerque, N.M., where he resides.

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On Sunday, Jones shared an image on social media of a U-Haul loaded with freshly purchased winter coats from Burlington Coat Factory. He shared details of the giveaway, offering clothing and food to anyone in need that wanted to show up (via Twitter):

Jones’ message clearly spread well around the city, because a large crowd – consisting primarily of the homeless – showed up on Monday to take advantage of the UFC champ’s good nature.

After the fact, Jones shared some images from his day and said it was a “blessing to give, spread love” (via Instagram):

View this post on Instagram

It’s a blessing to give, spread love.

A post shared by Jon Bones Jones (@jonnybones) on

Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) is less than two months out from his return to the octagon. He is scheduled to put his 205-pound belt on the line against undefeated contender Dominick Reyes (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC 247, which takes place Feb. 8 at Toyota Center in Houston and airs on pay-per-view.

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Jon Jones out and Julian Edelman active for Week 16 vs. Bills

Edelman and Jason McCourty will play.

The New England Patriots will not have cornerback Jonathan Jones, who was ruled out on Thursday for the team’s game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on Saturday in Week 16.

Though they were listed on the injury report, receiver Julian Edelman (knee/shoulder), cornerback Jason McCourty (groin) and linebackers Jamie Collins (shoulder) and Ja’Whaun Bentley (knee) will be active. McCourty’s presence on the gameday roster is a surely welcome addition, as he missed Week 15 and may take a large number of snaps in the slot, where Jones predominantly played.

Here’s a look at New England’s inactives beyond Jones:

QB Cody Kessler
RB Damien Harris
TE Ryan Izzo
OT Korey Cunningham
OL Jermaine Eluemunor
DT Byron Cowart
CB Jonathan Jones (groin)

Here’s a look at the Bills’ inactives.

The Patriots kick off against the Bills at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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Jon Jones warns ‘one-trick pony’ Dominick Reyes of what to expect at UFC 247

“I don’t know if I want to knock him out, choke him out, but oh, dude, I’m going to get him.”

LAS VEGAS – UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is ready to add to his undeniably impressive resume.

Jones will take on [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] on Feb. 8 at UFC 247 in Houston, and he doesn’t view Reyes any differently than his past opponents who have fallen by the wayside.

“You’re a pawn in this game,” Jones said to Reyes during the UFC 247 news conference on Friday. “I’ve been saying it a long time. Like (Daniel Cormier), like all of them, you’re a pawn in this game. You’re just a piece in the puzzle. I’m trying to be great, bro, and you’re just a part of it. You’re just a small part of it.”

The undefeated Reyes is coming off a first-round knockout of former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman in October for the biggest win of his career.

But Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) isn’t impressed by Reyes (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and thinks he’s one dimensional.

“You’re the one? You knocked out Chris Weidman. He’s been knocked out so many times. Good job,” Jones said. “I don’t have to knock out people. I don’t have to knock out people. The only way you can possibly win this fight is to catch me with a left. We all know that. I could submit you, I could out-wrestle you, I can kickbox you to death. I’m going to get you. I’m going to get you, Dominick. You know it. You’re a one-trick pony. We saw your highlight reel. It was straight left, straight left, straight left.”

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It’s been a while since Jones has been genuinely irritated by an opponent, and he proceeded to explain why Reyes rubs him the wrong way.

“Dominick wins his last fight, from out of nowhere, we’ve never met in person, I’ve never shaken the guy’s hand, and then the guy, instead of being just cordial or being a martial artist or showing a degree of respect, he gets on the microphone, young and immature, and goes, ‘I don’t need party favors; I need the world title.’ That’s how it started,” Jones said. “But it’s all good. We’re here now. He got what he asked for, and I’m going to put my hands on him, and it’s going to be great.”

“I know nothing about him, honestly,” Jones added. “I know nothing about him. I see the games that he wants to play with the insults, and I don’t really care. I don’t really care at the end of the day. My job is to destroy this dude and start focusing on 2020. I’m going to have a great 2020, and it’s going to start off by destroying Dominick. I don’t know what I want to do to him. I don’t know if I want to knock him out, choke him out, but oh, dude, I’m going to get him. I’m going to get him. I promise you guys.”

Having previously admitted that he might lack motivation in facing the un-established names of the 205-pound division, Jones understands that Reyes has a lot more to gain in this fight.

“I do feel like Dominick has everything to win in this situation,” Jones said. “He’s relatively unknown, but that’s why I’m training as hard as I can. I was 240 (pounds) last week. I’m 230 this week. I’m taking him extremely seriously. I watch his fights every single day. Because he’s unknown, people would expect someone in my position to take him lightly, and that’s where guys in my position would fall.”

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Jon Jones rips former roommate Colby Covington: ‘He’s a really rotten person’

Jon Jones will be the first to tell you he’s no angel, but he might be one compared to Colby Covington.

[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] will be the first person to tell you he’s been no angel over the years. He might be the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, but outside the cage, he’s had more than his fair share of slip-ups and run-ins with the law.

So when the UFC light heavyweight champion acknowledges this himself as a setup to talk about another person’s character, that carries significant weight.

And he made absolutely clear on Friday that he has no love lost for [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag].

Jones was part of a press conference Friday pushing his UFC 247 title defense against Dominick Reyes. The presser was held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where on Saturday night, Covington will attempt to wrest the welterweight title from Kamaru Usman in UFC 245’s main event.

And “Bones” made no bones about the fact he considers Covington, his former roommate at Iowa Central Community College, a bad person.

“Colby’s a habitual liar at the end of the day,” Jones said. “He really is. He told the fans that we lived together for two years. We lived together for one semester. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and a lot of people don’t consider me a good person, but coming from me, Colby’s a really bad person. He really is. He really, really is.”

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Jones also pointed to the fact Covington has found himself at the center of drama at his home gym, American Top Team, with multiple high-profile teammates, to back up his claim.

Tyron Woodley left ATT after developing a dislike for Covington. Jorge Masvidal remains a part of the team, but has also made his disdain for Covington clear.

“There’s no coincidence that Tyron Woodley got to know him and hates him, Masvidal got to know him and hates him, I got to live with him and really don’t like him.”

In case you haven’t gotten the point yet, Jones doesn’t like Covington, and he’s pretty sure if you haven’t come around to his point of view on the UFC 245 headliner, you eventually will.

“If any of you guys got to know him, man, he’s a really rotten person,” Jones said. “I think the MMA community is going to start to see it over the years.”

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