Over the course of his 16-year UFC career, Jon Jones has amassed a wealth of labels that are almost exhausting in their complexity.
First, he was a prodigy, beating out respected competitors like Maurício Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans, establishing himself as the sport’s new face. In 2011, at age 23, he became the youngest UFC champion.
When UFC president Dana White called him “selfish” in 2012 for not accepting a last-minute opponent, he soon came under criticism for maneuvering in the bitter and often bitter world of combat sports. Sports fans and observers who want to lead Jones to his entertainment of choice. “On the internet, everyone is saying, ‘You’re a duck,’” Jones said in an interview, noting that he picks certain fights and avoids others in some circles. “Should being called a duck dictate my decision? “What is this, high school?”
Deeper, more troubling setbacks that continued throughout his career often prompted sharper assessments. He failed three drug tests, first explaining to USA Today in 2016, “I was a drug addict.” Jones has regularly faced legal troubles, including accusations of assaulting women, including his fiancé, and was stripped of his championship belt after being accused of fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run accident on foot.
The result eliminated his biggest rivalry with Daniel Cormier, stripped him of the belt for a third time when Jones tested positive for anabolic steroids, and turned his knockout loss to Cormier into a draw.
White said Jones’ career could be over. On Thursday he said it was “common sense” for him to continue booking fights despite the strain in their working relationship.
“There is no denying what this man has accomplished. And most of the things he’s accomplished, he’s done things that haven’t been very good for him,” White said. athletic. “He is one of the greatest men who ever lived and one of the worst human beings to ever walk the planet. And when I talk about him, I also talk about his dark side. I mean, Jon Jones is a scary dude.”
He added: “I told (former UFC CEO) Lorenzo Fertitta, ‘This is a guy you can’t do business with.’”
Jones cries during a press conference in 2016 after his fight with Daniel Cormier was canceled just days before UFC 200. (Photo: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
But Jones has exactly that status, drawing top dollar for what could reasonably be considered the UFC’s biggest event of the year. Jones is scheduled to fight another of the sport’s greats, Stipe Miocic, for the heavyweight title on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“I think Jon Jones sometimes struggles with his inner demons over who he is. I think he wants to be a good person. I think he’s having a lot of internal battles about who he really is. But at the end of the day, what Jon Jones has to understand and what he has to realize is that Jon Jones is a murderer and he was put on this earth to do exactly what he’s doing,” White said.
Jones declined to comment on specifics about the arrest and other matters, but widely acknowledged his mistakes. “I haven’t always lived a perfect Christian life,” he said, noting that religious themes were a big part of his family and personal life. (On Saturday, a Bible verse will be inscribed on his trunk to mirror one of his tattoos.)
He added, “I hope people remember me as a person who overcame things, a person full of humanity, a person with many flaws, and a person who truly loved God from beginning to end.”
His parents, Camille and Arthur Jones Jr., raised three sons who reached the highest levels in sports. Jon’s brothers were both Super Bowl winning defensive linemen. His older brother, Arthur, spent the 2012 season with the Baltimore Ravens. His younger brother Chandler during the 2014 season with the New England Patriots.
Every morning, Jon Jones said, his father wakes up at 4 a.m., fasts and prays for his sons, then rings their phones with sermons and Bible verses. Camille, who died from complications of diabetes in 2017, was praised at her memorial service for the impact women in her church had on her life, Jones said.
“She showed that you can be a rock star without being a professional athlete or famous,” he said.
Jones said his parents showed him how to be respected. Conversely, his public mistakes are his own.
“The best side of me definitely came from them. From the humanitarian side, to the compassionate side, to the side that truly cares about their neighbors. Now there are many facets to us as humans…
In the Octagon, Jones has made it clear that he is fighting for his own cause rather than engaging in a fight driven by public demand.
Jones and Miocic pose ahead of their UFC 309 title fight. (Photo: Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC)
This week he hovered over interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. He is a British fighter who won the interim belt a year ago when Jones had to postpone his fight with Miocic due to a shoulder injury. Aspinall instead fought Sergei Pavlovich and even defended his interim belt earlier this year while Jones waited to fight Miocic. Miocic has a higher profile, but at 42 he is four years removed from his last victory.
Despite this, Jones appears uninterested in fighting Aspinall and has said he would rather fight light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who is quickly rising to stardom. He may also retire, which is a common move used by fighters for a variety of reasons. Often used sincerely and often to increase funding prospects in a sport where salaries are paid per fight.
“If the UFC is interested in having me come back and fight Ferreira, I think it would be a worthy fight.” Jones said. “And beyond that, I want to try my hand at Hollywood and use the influence I’ve gained to land some really cool roles, movie roles, action movies, etc. ”
Jon Jones is ready to hang up the gloves.
said the heavyweight champion. @TheAthletic his main goal is #UFC309 To be the first player to submit to Stipe Miocic. “I’m ready to retire very happily after that.” pic.twitter.com/6jeOiJh32q
— Mark Puleo (@ByMarkPuleo) November 8, 2024
White said that if Jones fights Aspinall first, it will only entertain Jones fighting Pereira, the UFC’s new darling with his thrilling style and frequent action-packed title defenses.
“If Jon wants to fight Aspinall, we will. And if he beat Aspinall and then said he wanted to fight Pereira, I would consider that,” White said.
Regardless of the Jones-Miocic outcome, the uncertainty sets up plenty of drama.
“You can call me a chicken, a duck, a goat, whatever you want,” Jones said. “It’s not my responsibility to help someone build their brand or give someone an opportunity.” My job is to take care of my legacy and do the best I can for my legacy.”
Jones, who holds a record of 27 wins, 1 loss, a draw and his only loss by disqualification, appreciates that being considered one of the best fighters is part of how fans discuss his accomplishments in the sport.
“I think there will always be opinions. Some people like fighters because of the way they move their bodies. Some people like fighters because of the way they compete. Some people love fighters because of the way they changed the sport. “There are different opinions on this,” Jones said. “I’m really grateful to be able to participate in the conversation.”
And although White said working with Jones was difficult at times, he said the results were clear. “If he wins, loses and draws on Saturday night, his legacy is set. He’s the greatest of all time,” White said. “No one has achieved what he has achieved.”
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(Photo: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
