Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has seen his in-cage accomplishments overshadowed by incidents away from the sport on multiple occasions. Most recently, after seeing his first fight with Alexander Gustafsson inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, Jones was arrested and charged with battery domestic.
Jones’ other legal problems include a hit-and-run incident that broke a pregnant woman’s arm, accusations of battery involving a waitress at a strip club, suspected negligent use of a firearm and a number of other driving offences.
Jones’ UFC career has also endured a few drawn out sagas involving banned substances and performance enhancing drugs.
Recently UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes spoke to James Lynch of MMA News about Jones and his place in MMA history.
“It’s hard to watch,” said Blaydes of Jones’ latest controversy. “He could be the LeBron of MMA, but he just had all the legal issues. And that’s even without the PEDs, he’s had some major legal issues.”
Blaydes went on to say that he thinks Jones’ admitted problem with alcohol is to blame for all these issues.
“I think he probably needs to remove alcohol from his life, which is not for me to tell him,” said Blaydes. “That’s just what I think. And I think he needs a better group of homies. Like, whoever he’s hanging out with, they are not good friends. If I’m hanging out with Jon Jones in Vegas, ‘Bro, we’re going home at 11:30. You can’t be out. Because I can’t even give you the benefit of the doubt. We’re going home.’”
Since vacating his UFC light heavyweight title in 2020, Jones has been signalling his intent to join Blaydes in the promotion’s heavyweight ranks.
However, given his latest arrest, there’s no guarantee that we’ll ever see Jones in the Octagon again.
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