Jon Jones has been in the UFC for 9 years. During that stretch, he has won 16 bouts and 10 title fights, establishing himself as arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time based on strength of schedule and dominance in the Octagon. Through the years, Bones has not only outclassed many of his opponents, he has also displayed highly creative and innovative techniques in the process.

Here at Bloody Elbow, we have done several technical breakdowns of either specific techniques Jones likes to use, or bigger parts of his overall game. So for judo chop fans, and technique nerds, here’s a round up of some of BE’s best to get you hyped on Jones’ upcoming title bout.

SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES, AND JONES’ FAVORITE MOVES

Jon Jones and the Muay Thai Eye Poke

Jones is a bit infamous for using his lead hand to defend himself by creating distance, and quite a few times, to also poke his opponents in the eyes. Did you know that this technique has roots in classic Muay Thai?

Jon Jones’ Shoulder Crank

Do you remember that nasty shoulder crank Jones hurt Teixeira with? That’s a truly old school grappling technique that Jon managed to pull off during the highest level of mixed martial arts. Here’s how it works, and how it is countered.

Jon Jones and the JacksonWink’s Oblique kick

One of Jones’ favorite moves, is also somewhat controversial and highly utilized by his team at JacksonWink. Here’s a breakdown on Jones’ push kicks and side kicks that looks to damage his opponent’s knee.

Jon Jones’ Spinning Elbow

One of Jones’ trademark moves is his spinning elbow, which has cracked numerous opponents.

GENERAL TECHNIQUE, AND TENDENCIES

Jon Jones and the New Old School Part 1 | Part 2

For those interested in classic styles, here’s a breakdown of Jones’ in-fighting which bears an uncanny resemblance to those used by professional boxers a century ago. Check out the intriguing historical comparisons in two parts.

Jon Jones’ vicious in-fighting tactics

Most people talk about Jones’ length, but he is also extremely dangerous in the clinch and striking from the inside. So much so that Jones have even brutally beaten numerous fighters known for having their biggest strengths inside.

The Transitions of Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson Part 1 | Part 2

Two of the best MMA fighters of this generation are highly skilled in adapting and transitioning between positions and phases. It’s in the in-betweens that sometimes separates very good fighters from truly brilliant mixed martial artists, and here’s a two part look at it all.

Jon Jones, Gustafsson and the myth of fighting tall

When people say you should “fight tall,” that’s not exactly what you should be doing.

Just how good is Jon Jones’ striking?

Jon Jones is a great wrestler who is fantastic on the clinch and with his ground and pound. Standing up, he has always been creative, and he always uses his unorthodox striking to defeat foes, but how good is his striking really?

HOW CAN YOU BEAT JON JONES?

Champions from different eras, and several of the sport’s best have succumbed to Jones. Apart from faulty refereeing on a Matt Hamill bout 8 years ago, Jon has been undefeated on every single bout in his career. Beating Jones is obviously far easier said than done, but while he has been dominant, no one is perfect and there are some holes that fighters could conceivably take advantage of.

Deafeating the G.O.A.T: How to beat Jon Jones Part 1 | Part 2

In BE’s newest breakdown, Kostas Fantaousakis detailed some of the techniques that could work on Jones, and how to deal with his favorite weapons, in two excellent parts.

Killing the King: Jon Jones

When Jack Slack wrote for BE years ago, he was already trying to lay out holes that could be exploited against Jones. Some have had some success trying these, but none of the opposition actually had enough of it to actually beat Jones.

TECHNIQUE TALK IN VIDEO AND AUDIO FORM

For those who prefer other forms of media to text, in depth technique talk can also be seen and heard on these videos below.