Jon Jones is as soon as once more making an attempt to bridge the hole between his public picture and the way he sees himself. He says his errors are a giant deal due to who he’s. The quote surfaced days after one other off-cage episode went viral on-line, lending new weight to his claims and restarting a long-standing debate over his report outdoors the UFC cage.
Jon Jones speaks candidly about controversy: ‘If I mess up, it should be very public’
Jon Jones is again within the information for causes which have little to do with fight. In a video shared by Shay Filling at a latest Soiled Boxing occasion, the previous UFC champion says fame turns each mistake right into a public place, including that he believes he is a “significantly better” individual than the adverse folks, calling himself a “fairly good individual.” The remark rapidly gained consideration within the MMA media as a result of it touched on the identical challenge that has dogged Jones for years: the break up between one of many sport’s biggest resumes and some of the problematic public data.
Days earlier than phrase unfold, Jones was concerned in one other viral incident after footage confirmed him having a tense alternate on the road in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Studies stated the footage was from an altercation with one other driver, and Jones later hit again on-line, arguing that fame is a “double-edged sword” and that when somebody with title worth is concerned, small moments can grow to be nationwide information. This complete sequence of occasions made his newest feedback really feel much less like an afterthought and extra like a direct response to his reporting model.
Jones says consideration follows him on one other degree, and that is actually the case. He is among the biggest names in MMA historical past, changing into the UFC gentle heavyweight champion in 2011 on the age of 23 and constructing on his title run to grow to be one of many defining fighters of his period. His accomplishments contained in the cage have stored him a mainstay within the sport for over a decade. That is a part of the explanation why any issues outdoors the cage are likely to journey sooner and last more than with lesser-known fighters.
Nonetheless, public response to Jon Jones goes past fame. The timeline of his profession exhibits a collection of authorized, disciplinary and doping-related points, together with a drunk driving incident in 2012, a hit-and-run incident in 2015 that led to the lack of his title, a number of suspensions for failing drug assessments, a DUI incident in 2020, and an incident associated to a grievance from a drug tester in 2024, which was resolved on the situation that he take anger administration lessons and never break any new legal guidelines for 90 years. everyday.
What Jones seems to be doing now could be pushing again in opposition to the concept his worst moments inform the entire story. He didn’t deny that there was an error within the quote that circulated Monday. Somewhat, they argue that fame amplifies them, and that the general public model of Jon Jones is more durable than the individual he believes he’s. Whether or not that occurs will most likely rely on how a lot weight folks place on his latest phrases in comparison with the lengthy listing of incidents already connected to his title.
Jon Jones controversy
2011: John Jones was taken into custody in Albuquerque for driving with a suspended license, however the fees have been later dropped.
2012: Jones crashes his Bentley right into a utility pole in Binghamton, New York, refuses a breathalyzer check, later pleads responsible to DUI, is fined and has his license suspended for six months.
2014: Jones was accused of posting homophobic slurs to followers on Instagram, however stated his cellphone was stolen and his account hacked.
2014: Fined $50,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Fee and ordered to finish neighborhood service after struggling with Daniel Cormier throughout a media occasion in Las Vegas.
2015: The Nevada State Athletic Fee reveals that Jones examined constructive for cocaine metabolites earlier than UFC 182. The UFC fined him $25,000 below its code of conduct.
2015: Jones was concerned in a hit-and-run that injured a pregnant girl in Albuquerque, then fled the scene earlier than turning himself in. Jones pleaded responsible to leaving the scene of an accident with bodily damage, acquired 18 months of supervised probation, and was stripped of his UFC title.
2016: Indicted on drag racing-related fees in Albuquerque, briefly jailed for probation violation, then ordered to take anger administration and driver enchancment lessons.
2016: Jones acquired a warning from USADA for suspected anti-doping violations and was faraway from UFC 200. He then acquired a one-year suspension associated to clomiphene and letrozole metabolites.
2017: After KOing Daniel Cormier at UFC 214, Jones acquired a brand new anti-doping violation discover after turinabol was detected in his system. The match resulted in a no-contest and he was stripped of the title once more.
2018: UFC 232 was moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles after one other drug check discovered traces of the identical steroid metabolite, sparking additional controversy although USADA stated Jones was not liable for any new violations.
2019: Jones was accused of inappropriate bodily conduct at an Albuquerque strip membership, together with touching and kissing a waitress after she instructed her to cease. He later pleaded no contest to a diminished peace order cost.
2020: Jones was arrested in New Mexico for gross DUI and careless use of a firearm. He later pleaded responsible to DWI, however the different fees have been dropped.
2021: Hours after his combat with Alexander Gustafsson was inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame, Jones was arrested in Las Vegas on misdemeanor fees of assault, home violence, damage to a car and legal mischief.
2024: An Albuquerque drug tester is accused of assaulting and threatening Jones throughout a pattern assortment go to to his residence. Jones denied the assault however later pleaded not responsible and ultimately agreed to have the costs dropped if he took anger administration lessons and stayed out of authorized hassle for 90 days.
2025: Jones is charged with misdemeanor battery in Albuquerque for allegedly leaving the scene of a February automobile crash, in accordance with a legal grievance.
2026: Jones is caught on video stepping into an altercation with one other driver in Albuquerque after getting right into a automobile accident. The video rapidly went viral on-line, and Jones later defended his actions, saying the opposite driver had adopted him and tried to intimidate him.
