Jon Jones has been bumped up one place in the latest UFC pound-for-pound rankings update.

When we think about some of the most controversial figures in mixed martial arts, it’s hard not to put Jon Jones somewhere towards the top of that list. While he may be one of the greatest fighters of all-time, the many setbacks he’s had outside of the cage have continued to harm his legacy.

Some would argue it’s possible to separate the two and even though that’s true, there’s also something to be said for his inactivity.

The last time we saw ‘Bones’ was way back in early 2020 when he successfully defended the UFC light heavyweight title against Dominick Reyes. Of course, the majority of fans and pundits who watched that fight believe Reyes did enough to get his hand raised, but the judges saw things a different way.

The proposed comeback of the 35-year-old has been dragging out for quite some time and because of that, you’d think there is only one direction he could be heading in when it comes to the pound-for-pound rankings - and it isn’t up.

Alas, we live in a strange world, which is one of the few legitimate explanations for why he’s been bumped up to 11th spot in the latest rankings update following UFC 279.

Jones was able to move ahead of Max Holloway, a known fan favourite, with Petr Yan and Brandon Moreno also climbing as a result of Stipe Miocic slipping to 15th.

It’s strange, but perhaps it signals that Jones is edging closer toward a UFC return. 

We can hope, at the very least.

The comeback

The return fight for Jon Jones has been speculated over for some time now and the leading contender, unsurprisingly, is former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. 

It wouldn’t exactly be accurate to say these two have been at each other’s throats but in equal measure, they’ll understand the stakes that are involved with such a huge contest.

Both individuals are chasing the current king Francis Ngannou and if they can pick up a major win when they (potentially) do meet, they’ll almost certainly book a date with destiny.

This is as stacked as the division has been in a long time and it’s not like UFC is short on other contenders in the form of Ciryl Gane and Curtis Blaydes, further emphasising the point that Jones needs to move quickly.