5 Best UFC Light-Heavyweight Champions in History

#1 Jon Jones

Jon Jones - The greatest Light-Heavyweight Champion in UFC history

One Reign

Eight Defences

One man clearly sits atop the Light-Heavyweight division as the very best fighter the UFC has ever produced at that weight class. However, Jon Jones is a man whose career will forever be shrouded in controversy.

Jones's journey with the Light-Heavyweight Championship began on March 29, 2011 at UFC 128 when he defeated Mauricio Rua to win the title. Stepping in as a replacement for Rashad Evans, who was due to get the shot, Jones took full advantage, winning the fight with brutal strikes.

Jones defended the title against a who's who of Light-Heavyweight legends, vanquishing Quinton Jackson, Lyota Machida, Evans, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, Alexander Gustafsson, Glover Teixeira and Daniel Cormier. That reign lasted a whopping 1501 days.

Jones like Frank Shamrock before him, never lost the title in the Octagon either. He was stripped of the belt for his involvement in a hit and run incident wherein he hit two other cars and left the scene, and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation.

Jones won a rematch with new Light-Heavyweight Champion, Cormier at UFC 214 to seemingly become the new Champion. However, failed drug tests caused the result to be overturned. The title win was cancelled and Jones was forced to return the belt to Cormier.

The controversial former Champion is scheduled to return from his drugs ban on December 29, 2018, in a match wherein the Light-Heavyweight Championship is expected to be at stake.

Perhaps Jones can add to his already considerable legacy with the Championship.