Jon Jones has publicly called for a return to the old-school UFC format, advocating for fighters to compete in two bouts in a single night. The heavyweight champion made his preference clear as he pushed for the promotion to revisit the multi-fight format from its earlier days.
Jon Jones used his platform on June 30, 2026, to publicly push for a return to the old-school UFC format, calling on the promotion to bring back the tradition of fighters competing twice in a single night.
Jones, the reigning heavyweight champion, carries one of the most decorated records in the sport at 28-1-0. The 38-year-old stands six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach and has built his legacy on a blend of volume striking and wrestling, averaging 4.38 significant strikes landed per minute at 58 percent accuracy while adding 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes. Known as "Bones," the orthodox fighter has long been considered the benchmark against which other heavyweights are measured.
The multi-fight-in-one-night format was a staple of early UFC events, where competitors moved through bracket-style tournaments and were expected to fight multiple opponents on the same card. The promotion eventually phased out the structure, citing fighter safety concerns and the physical demands it placed on athletes.
Why it matters
- Jones is the heavyweight champion, meaning any format or promotional discussion he drives carries significant weight inside the sport.
- A return to single-night multi-fight formats would fundamentally alter how fighters prepare and how cards are structured.
- At 38, Jones advocating for a more demanding format adds an unusual dimension, given where he sits in his career timeline.
- The call reopens a long-standing debate about spectacle versus athlete welfare that has followed the UFC since its earliest events.
Whether the promotion engages with Jones's suggestion remains to be seen, but coming from the heavyweight titleholder, the remarks are unlikely to be ignored.
