Why does Jon Jones crawl in the Octagon?

If you’ve ever watched UFC fighter Jon Jones, then you’ll know that he’s famous for his ‘crawling’ whenever a fight begins. Unlike practically all opponents, he doesn’t stand to begin, instead he crawls up to them and then stands to his feet. Although this is a bit of a strange habit, it actually has quite an interesting explanation and it makes more sense when your read about it. So, is this some kind of gimmick or mind games against his opponent? You may think so, but the answer is much more spiritual.

Speaking on a Podcast with Steve O, Jon Jones was asked about his crawling and responded by saying that it originated when he fought Quinto ‘Rampage’ Jackson back in 2011 at UFC 135. At that time, Jones had previously done 14 fights in his career, standing with an impressive 13-1 record. He had just won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship and now faced Rampage Jackson, who was known for his aggressive style and intimidating figure. This was the man who once knocked someone out with a body slam.

Jones went on to win the fight by a rear naked choke in the fourth round after successfully boxing throughout the previous rounds. Since then, Jones went on an incredible run, all the meanwhile doing his iconic crawl before bouts.

According to Jones in conversation with Steve O, he kept having nightmares in the build up to the Rampage Jackson fight and literally thought he would die. He believed that Jackson could genuinely kill him due to his punching power. This nightmare began by Jones walking to his opponent and getting knocked out. So, to break his dream, he decided he wouldn’t begin by standing, and would instead crawl. This was a different setup compared to the stance he began with in his dreams.

Not only this, but his dreams also saw him imitate a ‘bird man’ with feathers which he interpreted in relation to the fight. As Jones has said before, he is religious and took these dreams and visions very seriously. He even went as far as seeing a sports psychologist who also suggested that the crawl could enhance his performance.

As you may have figured by now, Jon Jones is definitely in touch with his spiritual side. A Christian, he even has a verse from Philippians 4:13 tattooed on his body which reads, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Based on his and his MMA record, it’s also a pretty apt tattoo as well.

Ever since his fight against Rampage, Jon Jones used the same crawl in the octagon before engaging with his opponents. Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, it’s clear that it worked and improved his mental state. Jon Jones went on to become one of the greatest MMA champions ever and the rest is history.