Jon Jones among ESPN’s Top 100 Athletes of 21st Century

ESPN has acknowledged Jon Jones as one of many biggest athletes of the 2000s.

With 2024 marking the twenty fifth 12 months of the twenty first century, ESPN.com this week unveiled its listing of the Prime 100 Athletes of the twenty first Century, with Jones touchdown at No. 66.

Jones, who final 12 months was named MMA Junkie’s No. 2 greatest UFC fighter of all time in celebration of the promotion’s thirtieth anniversary, is a two-division champion who beforehand dominated the sunshine heavyweight division for a number of years and at the moment holds the heavyweight title. The one loss on his file got here by disqualification in opposition to Mark Hamill due to unlawful 12-6 elbows landed in a struggle Jones was dominating.

Jones’ profession achievements haven’t been with out controversy as he’s failed three drug exams in reference to title fights. One was for cocaine, whereas the opposite two had been violations of the UFC’s anti-doping coverage beneath the U.S. Anti-Doping Company, leading to prolonged suspensions every time. In Jones’ 2017 case stemming from UFC 214, an impartial arbitrator decided that Jones “was not deliberately dishonest.”

ESPN concluded the release of its full list Thursday, with Michael Phelps (swimming), Serena Williams (tennis), Lionel Messi (soccer), Lebron James (basketball), and Tom Brady (soccer) comprising the highest 5.

Jones ranked simply forward of such huge names as James Harden (basketball, 67), Phil Mickelson (golf, 68), Manny Pacquiao (boxing, 71) and Mookie Betts (baseball, 73). He was additionally forward of the one different blended martial artist on the listing, UFC Corridor of Famer Georges St-Pierre, who came in at 76.

ESPN stated its listing accounted “just for athletic accomplishments since January 1, 2000. ESPN.com utilized a panel of consultants and ESPN’s famend Stats & Data Group to rank the highest 100 athletes throughout all sports activities. Greater than 75,000 votes had been solid by ESPN’s reporters, analysts, producers, editors, and consultants across the globe to whittle the preliminary listing of 400 athletes to 100.”