This Week’s MMA Birthdays: Jon Jones Turns 27

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Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder and pound-for-pound mainstay Jon Jones will celebrate his 27th birthday on July 19.

A winner of 11 consecutive bouts, Jones last competed at UFC 172 in April, when he took a unanimous decision from Glover Teixeira at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore. The Jackson-Wink MMA representative has defended the 205-pound championship a record seven times, defeating Teixeira, Alexander Gustafsson, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson. Jones has pieced together an outstanding 14-1 record since touching down in the UFC in August 2008, a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale the lone blemish.

“Bones” will put the light heavyweight crown on the line at UFC 178 on Sept. 28, when he faces Gustafsson in a highly anticipated rematch in Las Vegas.

Those in MMA celebrating a birthday during the week covering July 13-July 19:

JULY 13

Dave Strasser (45)
Hidehiko Hasegawa (36)
Jonathan Goulet (35)
Tom Watson (32)
Rina Tomita (30)

JULY 14

Kazushi Sakuraba (45)
Mostapha Al-Turk (41)
Falaniko Vitale (40)
Wagnney Fabiano (39)
Rolles Gracie (36)
Leonard Garcia (35)
Shane Roller (35)

JULY 15

Antony Rea (38)
Matt Mitrione (36)
Viktor Pesta (24)

JULY 16

Javier Vazquez (37)
Toby Imada (36)
Kazuhiro Nakamura (35)
Walel Watson (30)

JULY 17

Alexander Otsuka (43)
Yuki Kondo (39)
Ricardo Arona (36)
Mamed Khalidov (34)
Bruno Santos (27)
Mike Byrnes (24)

JULY 18

Crosley Gracie (35)
Hatsu Hioki (31)
Ben Askren (30)

JULY 19

Jeremiah Constant (40)
Raphael Assuncao (32)
Jon Jones (27)