Remember when Jon Jones first started out in the UFC and made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno? There was so much optimism for Jones and his career as the face of the UFC brand. Little did we know that Jones greatest opponent would be himself.
Prior to his appearance with Jay Leno, he and his team ran down a man who had mugged a couple in New Jersey right before UFC 128. As we know, Jones stopped Mauricio Rua to win his first UFC title.
Jones became so famous that a namesake with the same name made fame on Twitter just because they share the same name. Jones had breakthrough sponsorship deals with Gatorade and Nike. The sky was the limit.
It was all downhill from there.
This past weekend Jones unceremoniously called Dana White to tell him that he has retired from the UFC. He followed it up on social media by confirming that he indeed had decided to cease fighting. While we all know how retirement in combat sports goes, this pause in awaiting a fight gives us time to reflect on what Jones’ impact has been on the sport. Or, what he has done to it.
The news of his retirement coincided with Jones’ latest legal issue wherein Albuquerque police are seeking phone records based on a hit-and-run accident in February where a passenger to a car claims that Jones fled the scene. The passenger, a woman without pants, claims that she was at Jones’ house and the two consumed alcohol and allegedly took mushrooms. Notably, the woman is not his wife.
MMA Junkie obtained police bodycam footage which revealed that the police were on the phone with an individual that sounded like Jones. The voice spoke in a slurred voice and authorities state that the v voice claimed to make “allusions of violence.”
Despite Jones’ attorney flatly denying the claims made against his client, Jones implicated himself in a post that he has since deleted. Jones tweeted describing the phone conversation with the police officer. Thus, tacitly admitting that he was the driver of the crime and fled the scene.
As an aside, shouldn’t leaving the scene of an accident with a woman still in the vehicle be enough to think Jones is scum. Oh yes, and the guy who has been seen praying to God at the end of a spirited MMA practice says he knows people that
But there’s been more since he was lauded on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show.
In May 2012, Jones was involved in a car accident was charged with a DUI. He was in the car with two women not his partner at the time.
In August 2014 he was involved in a fight with Daniel Cormier during media leading up to UFC 178. One might recall that Jones pushed aside the head PR guy for the UFC at the time who attempted to stop the eventual fistfight.
In January 2015, Jones failed a drug test for testing positive for a cocaine metabolite. He was able to clear the test and went to rehab for one day.
Just 4 months later, he was involved in a hit and run accident after leaving the scene of an accident (something he seems to do a lot). Jones was charged with a felony as one of the victims was a pregnant woman.
In 2018, the UFC had to change the location of UFC 232 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles after Jones showed a trace amount of the metabolite Turinabol in his system. Nevada would not grant him a license as they did not have enough time to investigate the results before the fight. But, California allowed Jones to fight, a win over Alexander Gustafsson.
In April 2019, Jones allegedly put a cocktail waitress in a choke hold and was charged with battery. Based on the factual detail, Jones likely was being playfully but maybe the waitress was not made aware. Oh yes, the cocktail waitress was located in a strip club. He was charged with battery and placed on a 90-day probation.
In March 2020, Jones was arrested for an aggravated DWI and negligent use of a firearm after an officer heard gunshots and found Jones asleep in his vehicle. Jones was sentenced to four days house arrest.
In September 2021, Jones was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence the same night he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. He headbutted a police car, resisted questioning and threatened officers. In December 2022, Jones had the domestic violence charge dropped and pled guilty to felony tampering and paid a $750 fine.
In April 2023, Jones was involved in an altercation with representatives for Drug Free Sport International at his home after he threatened them. Jones took to social media to claim that the individuals were unprofessional. However, he was charged and ordered to go to anger management.
H/t on timeline via Fansided
While we do not know, what may assume from his actions that there are more incidents which have not been reported or people have let slide.
Many a time Jones has proclaimed a new person. But this has been all for show. He claims to be a man of God, but its clear from his actions that he is far from it. His feigned belief in a higher power is nothing more than a charade to fake the common UFC fan that needs just an inkling of belief that Jones isn’t the excrement of an individual he actual is in real life.
One has to believe that in his late 30s, Jones is not going to change. I have little belief that Jones will stay retired. He has nothing else in his life but social media and being a famous MMA fighter.
In hypothesizing what went wrong from the kid that was on The Tonight Show to the man that fled a car with a woman that had no pants, Jones has been his own worst enemy. When structure and discipline was necessary, he relied on his physical ability and natural talent to get him through. Imagine if he actually put aside the drugs, alcohol and extramarital affairs. He could have been a real star. One has to blame those that were close to him. The hanger-ons and entourage for Jones. They could have stopped him from his self-destruction but they did not. Instead, they went along for the ride.
Jones has made a lot of money from fighting, but like Ben Askren, the money runs out at a point. He can still attract fans if he were to come back to the UFC or a lower-tier sideshow. But, Jones has lost something that he seemingly cannot retain. His self-respect.
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