Jon Jones has now officially stepped into the world of fight promotion.
On Friday, Jones expanded his footprint in combat sports by securing co-ownership of Dirty Boxing Championship, a striking-based promotion founded by BKFC standout Mike Perry. The venture is also co-owned by his longtime managers, Malki and Abe Kawa.
“Platinum” launched Dirty Boxing Championship in July, introducing a unique hybrid ruleset that blends elements of boxing with MMA-style striking. Fighters compete in an 18-foot ring while wearing five-ounce gloves.
The promotion permits all hand strikes, including elbows, and introduces a distinct ground-and-pound element — fighters who score a knockdown can follow up with punches, but they must remain standing while doing so.
The promotion made its debut in November with an exclusive, invite-only event, where former UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero clinched a first-round knockout victory over Duane Crespo in the headlining bout.
Dirty Boxing Championship is set to return this Saturday with DBX1, its first sanctioned event, taking place at The Hangar in Miami, where “Bones” is expected to be in attendance. The card features a stacked lineup, headlined by Yoel Romero, with former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski competing in the co-main event.
Jon Jones last stepped into the Octagon at UFC 309 last November, where he delivered a dominant third-round knockout victory over former champion Stipe Miocic to successfully defend his UFC heavyweight title.
“Bones” has long been expected to face interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in a highly anticipated title unification bout. However, despite Aspinall’s persistent callouts, Jones has shown little interest in the matchup.