MMA
Bogdan Guskov Confirms Jon Jones’ Wild Drinking Story Before UFC 165 bout with Alexander Gustafsson
Jon Jones has done just about everything there is to do in MMA. For those unfamiliar, ‘Bones’ became the youngest champion in UFC history at just 23 years old and went on to collect wins over some of the sport’s biggest legends, including Daniel Cormier, Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson, and Lyoto Machida. His resume is staggering, but what makes it even more remarkable is how often Jones admitted to partying and losing focus during fight weeks, a habit that could have derailed most fighters long before they ever touched gold.
Despite retiring with a record almost untouched by defeat, Jones came dangerously close to losing it all in 2013. That year, he defended his light heavyweight title in a five-round war against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, a fight still remembered as the toughest test of his career. Shockingly, Jones later admitted that he had blacked out during fight week leading up to the title defense, making his razor-thin victory even more remarkable.
Jon Jones Drank Everything in Sight During UFC 165 Promotional Event in Russia
For the unversed, Jones has already admitted to taking Gustafsson lightly and partying too hard before their first outing, so this tale adds another layer to that narrative. In an interview with Ushatayka, security guard-turned-UFC fighter Bogdan Guskov confirmed how Jones was out partying deep into the night during his fight camp.
At the time, Guskov was working as a security guard at a Moscow nightclub while the UFC was in town to promote the title fight for UFC 165. He said, “I saw Gustafsson leave at around 10-11 pm to get some sleep. Meanwhile, Jon Jones stayed in the club until 5 am. He was drunk as fu*k.”
😭🥃 Bogdan Guskov shares a wild Jon Jones story from 2013 in Moscow.
Back when Bogdan was working security at an elite club in Moscow, Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson came to the city to promote their fight.
“I saw Gustafsson leave around 10–11 pm to get some sleep.… pic.twitter.com/Y10osFrFxN
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 18, 2025
The 205lbs fighter revealed, “At one point, I even saw him and Frank Mir wrestling on the floor – and none of us dared to break it up. Luckily, they were just playing. I was shocked that a fighter of this level could party like that. He drank everything that was at the bar.”
When asked if Jones was drinking vodka, Guskov explained that the then–light heavyweight champion wasn’t picky as he drank everything the bar had to offer.
Jon Jones First Revealed His UFC 165 Drinking Tale Back in 2016 on Joe Rogan’s Podcast
Jon Jones went on Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2016 and revealed the bizarre ritual he followed before each of his first 23 fights. The former two-division UFC champion admitted, “I had this crazy thing that I would do where I would party one week before every fight. And I did it throughout my whole career. And it was stupid, but it was this mental crutch that I had.”
He explained further: “I literally would, one week before every fight. I would go out and I would get blacked out wasted. And my logic was, if this guy were to beat me somehow, I can look myself in the mirror and say, the reason I lost is because I got hammered the week before the fight.”
Jones eventually realized how dangerous this mindset was when he narrowly escaped defeat at the aforementioned UFC 165. That night, he was pushed to the brink in a five-round war with Gustafsson, a fight still remembered as one of the greatest title bouts in UFC history. Jones pulled through with a unanimous decision after rallying in the later rounds, but he left the arena on a stretcher.
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Jones admitted his partying was especially bad before that first Gustafsson fight, saying: “I trained for the fight, but I definitely had this thing where I felt invincible. And I did a lot of wild stuff leading up to the fight. I definitely didn’t give it my all. Really partying, drinking, staying up all night.”
Sep 21, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Jon Jones connects on a kick against Alexander Gustafsson (left) during their Light Heavyweight Championship bout at UFC 165 at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jones’ reckless lifestyle has landed him in trouble multiple times. In 2015, he was stripped of his light heavyweight title after a drunken hit-and-run in New Mexico. In 2020, he was arrested for aggravated DWI and negligent use of a firearm.
Even after being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in September 2021 for the same Gustafsson fight, Jones was arrested again, this time on charges of battery, domestic violence, and tampering with a vehicle following another night of heavy drinking.
In 2025, Jones officially retired from MMA, a move first announced by Dana White at the UFC Baku press conference. Despite stepping away, ‘Bones’ has since expressed interest in returning for the historic UFC White House event scheduled for June 2026.
However, White no longer places the same trust in Jones after he derailed the planned unification bout with Tom Aspinall. Even though Jones has apologized, the UFC CEO is leaning toward Conor McGregor to headline the landmark event on the South Lawn of the White House instead.
