Reflecting on his career ahead of this weekend’s UFC 309 headliner, Jon Jones claims the most memorable and greatest moment in the sport came without even stepping in the Octagon – going back to his 2011 showdown with Shogun Rua, where he stopped a robbery from occuring in the hours before the clash.
Jones, the current heavyweight champion and a former two-time light heavyweight gold holder, will make his return to action this weekend in the headliner of UFC 309, welcoming former two-time divisional champion, Stipe Miocic back to the Octagon for the first time in three years.
For the Rochester native, it will also make his return from a pectoral tendon tear which prevented a November comeback a year ago, having most recently snatched the vacant heavyweight crown in March of that year with a submission win over French contender, Ciryl Gane.
Jon Jones reflects on career-best memory ahead of UFC 309
However, this week whilst reminiscing on his career in combat sports, Jones claimed some of his favorite memories came in the form of his early UFC tenure win over the late Ultimate Fighter finalist, Stephen Bonnar – as well as his prevention of a robbery in the hours before his title coronation against the above-mentioned, Rua.
“My favorite moment was stopping a robbery and then winning a world championship hours later back in 2011,” Jon Jones told TNT Sports during an interview this week. That day was amazing. It was full of good energy and good karma. I went to bed that night thinking, “No way, this is real life.”
“Another special moment was against Stephan Bonnar” Jon Jones explained. “He was the first famous person I ever fought, and it was the first time I got to prove the naysayers wrong. Beating Bonnar made me believe I could beat anyone.”