5 UFC fighters who walked away while still at the top

#4: Jon Jones – former UFC light-heavyweight champion

Jon Jones vacated the UFC light-heavyweight title without ever losing it, meaning he went out on top

Okay, so it might be safe to surmise that Jon Jones’ UFC career is not yet over. The former light-heavyweight kingpin may well make an octagon return – probably as a heavyweight – in the near future.

However, for now, ‘Bones’ should be counted amongst those rare fighters who walked away while still at the top rather than after a loss or series of defeats.

Ignoring a disqualification that stemmed more from a refereeing error than any mistake on his part, Jones remains unbeaten in the UFC with a total of 20 octagon victories.

His list of victims includes fellow greats like Daniel Cormier, ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Alexander Gustafsson and current champ Glover Teixeira. Jones finished most of those future Hall of Famers before the final buzzer, too.

Sure, he might’ve been involved in a number of controversial incidents – including more than one positive drug test – during his UFC career, but there’s still no disputing Jones' greatness.

That feeling will only grow should ‘Bones’ opt to not return to the UFC in the near future. While his reasons for walking away may be more centered on his pay issues than a wish to stop fighting, there’s probably an argument that staying away might be the best idea for him.

Frankly, Jones’ last three title defenses – against Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes – were among the least impressive showings of his UFC career. At 34, the striking maven's best days may be behind him.

While a career at heavyweight might beckon in the future, for now ‘Bones’ can keep content with the knowledge that he stepped away at the peak of his powers.

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#3: Henry Cejudo – former UFC flyweight & bantamweight champion

Henry Cejudo walked to the beat of his own drum in the UFC - right down to his sudden retirement

Like Jon Jones, it’s probably fair to suggest Henry Cejudo’s UFC career may not have come to a complete end just yet.

After all, ‘Triple C’ has continually sniped at his fellow fighters – including current UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski – on social media since the moment he chose to step away from the promotion at UFC 249.

Assuming he sticks to his word and doesn’t return, it’s safe to say that not only did Cejudo depart the UFC at the top, he did so as a genuine living legend.

A 2008 Olympic gold medallist in freestyle wrestling, Cejudo’s early UFC career was impressive, if a little low-key.

That all changed when he unseated longtime UFC flyweight king Demetrious Johnson in 2018. Johnson put together a UFC record of eleven successful title defenses. While Cejudo’s win over 'Mighty Mouse' was slightly controversial, it made ‘Triple C’ into a big star.

It was his 2019 that really tipped Cejudo over the edge, though. 'The Messenger' not only turned back the challenge of then-UFC bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw in a rare champion vs. champion bout, he also claimed Dillashaw’s title after he was stripped of it by defeating Marlon Moraes.

That win made Cejudo just the fourth UFC fighter to hold two titles simultaneously in different weight classes. This feat transformed the decorated amateur wrestler into one of the greatest fighters in MMA history.

After halting Moraes, Cejudo would fight just once more – beating former UFC champ Dominick Cruz – before announcing his retirement. While it was frustrating to see him step away at the peak of his powers, if he never returns, it’s safe to say he still made a hell of an impact.