Jon Jones names the best performance of his legendary UFC career

Jon Jones calls first Alexander Gustafsson fight his best performance

Gus 1, I had to push through so much to prove to myself how bad I wanted it. A lot of skill went out the window, and I had to fight with my heart. https://t.co/7IUacAPFMw

— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) June 27, 2025

“[Gustafson] 1,” Jones wrote. “I had to push through so much to prove to myself how bad I wanted it. A lot of skill went out the window, and I had to fight with my heart.”

Jones and Gustafsson first met at UFC 165 in Toronto, Canada, way back in 2013. Ahead of time, many fans felt Gustafsson could give the Jones a tough fight, largely because he was one of the few fighters in the division who could rival the increasingly dominant champ’s height and reach. In the end, those suspicions proved accurate, as Gustafsson pushed Jones to the absolute limit in a thrilling five-round brawl.

In the end, Jones retained the title by unanimous decision, but many fans felt Gustafsson deserved the win, and debate still exists to this day. Jones and Gustafsson rematched in 2018. The second time around, Jones dominated his rival, finishing him with ground strikes in round 3.