5 reasons why the UFC light heavyweight division is better off without Jon Jones

#4. Jon Jones appeared to have become disinterested with the division in recent years

Jon Jones didn't really look motivated for his fights with opponents like Thiago Santos

When Jon Jones first cut a swath through the UFC's light heavyweight division, he did so in style. 'Bones' didn't just defeat his opponents; he absolutely dominated them, usually finishing them off in violent fashion.

The likes of Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Chael Sonnen and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua were all finished by Jones. Of his first 12 UFC wins, just three went the distance.

However, that hasn't been the same in recent years. Since 2014, Jones has finished just two opponents – Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson. The result of the Cormier fight was eventually overturned due to a positive drug test from 'Bones.'

There's no shame in going the distance with the likes of Cormier and Glover Teixeira, but Jones' more recent fights showed a more worrying trend.

His victories over Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos appeared to show a fighter who was largely coasting. Jones seemed content with doing just enough to hold onto his title without really unleashing the entirety of his arsenal.

This approach almost backfired on him in his most recent win over Dominick Reyes. Many fans felt the decision should've gone the way of 'The Devastator.'

⏰ WE GO THE FULL 25 MINUTES. WHAT. A. FIGHT.Has Reyes done enough to dethrone Jones? Sound off! ⬇️ #UFC247 pic.twitter.com/iO9kiCHaai

— UFC (@ufc) February 9, 2020

Some fans have suggested that Jones’ questionable recent form has been caused by either wear-and-tear or a lack of PEDs.

However, it’s equally possible that ‘Bones’ had simply become disinterested with fighting contenders at 205lbs. This seems even more likely given his clear intent to move to heavyweight. If that’s the case, then the division would only have stagnated with a disinterested champion – meaning it’s now better off without him.

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#3. Jan Blachowicz feels like a less secure champion than Jon Jones did

Despite his accomplishments, Jan Blachowicz doesn't seem as untouchable as Jon Jones did as champion

When Jon Jones vacated his light heavyweight title in 2020, most fans expected Dominick Reyes to claim the vacant crown. Instead, though, Jan Blachowicz stunned everyone by knocking out Reyes to become an unlikely UFC champion.

Since then, Blachowicz has defended his title once, making history in the process by becoming the only man to defeat current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.

Jan Blachowicz beats Israel Adesanya to remain the light heavyweight champ 🔥 #UFC259 pic.twitter.com/JlJ2lSt55f

— ESPN (@espn) March 7, 2021

‘The Prince of Cieszyn’ is clearly a world-class fighter operating at the peak of his powers right now. Blachowicz has crazy knockout power in his hands and excellent technical striking skills. He also has an underrated and improving ground game.

However, it’s also safe to say that with respect, the Polish fighter is not as good as Jon Jones, nor is he ever likely to be.

While he’s a deserving champion at the minute, his title reign feels far less secure than Jones’ ever did. It was tricky to pick against Jones in a title fight regardless of his opponent. But several fighters in the light heavyweight division could believably beat Blachowicz.

While it’s always cool to watch a dominant champion at work, particularly if they’re capable of putting on virtuoso performances, there’s definitely something to be said for having more jeopardy at the top of the division.

Jan Blachowicz may well hold the UFC light heavyweight title for several years, but the chances of him being as dominant as Jon Jones seem slim – meaning the division is a much more interesting place.