Jon Jones names the best performance of his legendary UFC career

Jon Jones is considered one of the greatest fighters in UFC history. But which of his many impressive victories was his best? The man himself recently revealed exactly that.

Jones is the former UFC light heavyweight champion, and easily the best fighter in the division’s history. He is also the former heavyweight champion, but held that belt for a far shorter time.

The former two-division champ’s illustrious career came to an official close earlier this month, when he finally announced his retirement after months of speculation.

He has been very busy on social media since then. In one of his latest sessions interacting with UFC fans on X, Jones was asked to name the best performance of his career. His answer is unlikely to surprise people: his first fight with Alexander Gustafsson.

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.