Welsh star Mason Jones is all set to make his return to the UFC Octagon in 2025 after confirming initial reports from Al Zullino that he had indeed inked a deal to return to the UFC.
Jones posted on social media to confirm his return to the promotion for a second stint, as he wrote, “Finally leaked that I’ve signed back with the UFC, been a steady road since I fought in London and worked on my whole game since then.
“But we’ve still got to wait for me to ping on roster watch.”
Finally leaked that I’ve signed back with the UFC, been a steady road since I fought in London & worked on my whole game since then.
But
We’ve still got to wait for me to ping on roster watch😂— Mason Jones (@MasonJones1995) February 24, 2025
Jones surged to the top of the European MMA scene with Cage Warriors as he captured the promotion’s lightweight title with a first-round finish of Joe McColgan at Cage Warriors 113 in March 2020, then added the welterweight title in his next bout six months later with a first-round TKO of Adam Proctor at Cage Warriors 116.
The two-division champion was then signed to the UFC and hopes were high for the Welsh star to make a run in the promotion’s lightweight division, but Jones endured a tricky run in the Octagon.
He lost on his debut in a back-and-forth war with Mike Davis on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi in January 2021. Then found himself frustrated after an accidental eye poke halted a fight he was winning handily against Alan Patrick as the matchup was ruled a no contest.
A rematch with Patrick set for four months later was scrapped, and he faced Uganda’s David Onama in a cracker of a matchup that saw Jones claim his maiden UFC victory via unanimous decision after a thrilling battle at the UFC APEX.
Another battle saw Jones go the distance with Ludovit Klein in July 2022, but this time the Welshman found himself on the wrong end of a unanimous decision verdict at UFC London, and he returned to the European scene with Cage Warriors to regroup and reset his career.
Back in the yellow gloves, he stopped Alexandre Ribeiro in a round at Cage Warriors 158, then finished former lightweight title challenger Yann Liasse in the second round at Cage Warriors 161.
If Jones had lost his mojo in the UFC, he certainly rediscovered it in 2024, as he stopped Bryce Logan in the second round at Cage Warriors 166, then engaged in one of the fights of 2024 as he went back and forth with undefeated Italian Michael Pagani at Cage Warriors 175 in Manchester as he claimed a hard-earned unanimous decision in a bout that showed that “The Dragon” was back to his best.
Now re-signed to the UFC, Jones will carry a four-fight win streak into the Octagon, and will hope that he can build on that momentum as he embarks on his second chapter in the Octagon.
