Dominick Reyes reflects on Jon Jones fight and what the judges missed

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Dominick Reyes is back on top of the UFC light heavyweight division, and he's keen to remind everyone that he arguably beat the best to ever do it.

Then, 12-0, Reyes took Jones to a hard-fought decision at UFC 247 in 2020. A majority of fans and media members scored the fight for Reyes, arguing he won at least three of the five rounds. Despite this, Jones took home a unanimous decision victory.

Adding insult to injury, Reyes endured a three-fight losing streak immediately afterwards. He made a remarkable comeback in 2024, now owning a three-fight finishing streak, and starring in the main event of UFC Perth opposite Carlos Ulberg in September.

Jon Jones beats Dominick Reyes at UFC 247
Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Dominick Reyes reflects on controversial Jon Jones result

Speaking on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Reyes revealed exactly why he believes he beat Jones.

"[I won the] first three [rounds] easily," Reyes reflected on his fight with Jones. "He might have landed two punches in all three rounds. He took me down in the fourth and fifth rounds, but I got up in 1.5 seconds. Like, now that counts as nothing.

"He took me down, wasted energy, I got up and then outed him."

What's more remarkable is the fact none of the judges saw an argument for Reyes, which is especially damning considering Thiago Santos took Jones to a split decision in a much-less controversial result in 2019.

With a victory against Ulberg at UFC Perth, Reyes can once again challenge for the light heavyweight belt, something he might have achieved years ago with a different scoring criteria.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with half a decade of digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on Bloody Elbow, The Fight Fanatic, and Heavy on UFC. He runs Warrior Tribune and can be contacted by his Muckrack profile.

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