Jon Jones Reveals Mindset Behind Throwing the Controversial Oblique Kick Without Remorse

Jon Jones used oblique kicks throughout almost the entirety of his UFC career, despite several fighters discouraging their use publicly. Lately, the former UFC heavyweight champion came clean about how he prepared himself mentally to use them in their fights without hesitation.

A 'No Mercy' Mentality Helped Jon Jones Use Oblique Kicks Unhesitatingly

Being merciful towards their opponents inside the cage usually doesn't yield the desired results for a fighter. UFC fans may remember how Jiri Prochazka got knocked out by Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327 after he mercifully chose not to exploit Ulberg's limitations from an early leg injury.

Jones' remarks about using oblique kicks in his fights displayed that he steps into the cage with a mental framework that is poles apart from Prochazka's. In one of his recent interviews, Jones counted his "zero mercy" mentality as the primary factor behind throwing oblique kicks without a second thought.

'Bones' said, "I have zero mercy in the ring…I’m a fighter who stomps on other fighters’ kneecaps, and a lot of people find that to be slightly unsportsmanlike, and you could cause somebody a career-ending injury doing that."

However, Jones never saw oblique kicks in the same light. He mentioned, "The way I was trained was, if somebody’s punching you in the brain, your memory starts to subside, your ability to pronounce a word starts to subside; he’s trying to give you brain damage. So why not give him a limp for the rest of his life?"

The former heavyweight champ also implied that the generosity towards an opponent can be reserved for the outside-the-octagon life. "So it’s a very dog-eat-dog world, and inside the octagon, I think you kind of have to have that mentality," said Jones. "After the event, you know, buy the guy a beer, wish him all the best, but during the event, it has to be eat or be eaten."

Jon Jones on oblique kicks and his mentality when throwing them:

“I have zero mercy in the ring…I’m a fighter who stomps on other fighters’ kneecaps, and a lot of people find that to be slightly unsportsmanlike, and you could cause somebody a career-ending injury doing that.… https://t.co/y2JdCZSeHr pic.twitter.com/mfOePy5Zis

— AFeldmanMMA (@afeldMMA) September 20, 2026

While even former UFC champions like Quiton Jackson have openly criticized oblique kicks, current discussions regarding the topic started after CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster revealed that he was about to have a talk that could lead to a ban on the move.

UFC fans have witnessed multiple active UFC fighters use oblique kicks, with the most recent incident being Ian Machado Garry's UFC 330 main event encounter against Islam Makhachev. It is quite apparent that fighters like Garry will want Foster's initiative to fail to retain a vital weapon in their arsenal. Jones' remarks imply that he might be wishing for the same.