Well, Jon Jones, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and once thought to be the future of mixed martial arts, was arrested again this week as a result of a probation violation following a traffic incident last week. All of this taking place less than a month before he's scheduled to return to the octagon after nearly a year absence to fight Daniel Cormier for the title he was stripped of in April of last year. After the well documented hit-and-run incident last year, Jones narrowly avoided jail time after he caused an accident that injured a pregnant woman, but thankfully, her pregnancy was unharmed. Jones' expensive legal team got him the relatively light sentence of probation for the debacle, which saw officers find drug paraphernalia in the car that the former 205 LBS titleholder ditched when he fled the scene. Keep in mind, this all happened after his initial driving mishap when he hit a pole and was charged with DUI in 2012. Prior to this latest run in with the law, "Bones" Jones was cited for speeding and driving without a license in February. It was reported last week that he was given five tickets for various infractions related to drag racing and earlier this week, he took to the MMA Hour show to apologize for it. Since the announcement of the warrant for his arrest, Jones turned himself in to Albuquerque police and a video surfaced on TMZ.
Some have argued that the police officer was hostile towards Jones and they might have a point, as the officer bantered with him instead of defusing the situation. However, Jon Jones is on probation and had several traffic incidents, and quite frankly, he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt. While video of the actual alleged drag racing wasn't released, it's difficult to view Jones as the sympathetic figure when he has a history of reckless driving. Considering he's on probation and was stopped as recently as a month ago for driving without a license, wouldn't it be the smarter move to just sign the tickets and present his side of the story in court? How exactly is arguing with the officer going to help the situation? Again, Jones is on thin ice and he can't expect to be given the benefit of the doubt when his driving record includes a hit-and-run.
As the video progressed, "Bones" Jones became abrasive and began yelling profanity at the officer. Once again, (I realize this is getting repetitive, but work with me here) how exactly is swearing at the police going to help his case? It's not as though the cop is going to say, "you know, Mr. Jones you're right, let's forget these tickets and have a nice day."
Does Jon Jones think he shouldn't be stopped because he's an MMA fighter? He has demonstrated his arrogance in the past and at this point, you have to wonder, is Jones going to become known more for his mishaps outside of the cage than his career accomplishments? Are there cops that have used their job title to be disrespectful to others? Absolutely, but it should be noted that the majority of officers risk their lives to serve the public so if the officer was hostile towards Jones then a complaint could've been filed. But, because of Jones' reaction, he will be cast in a negative light regardless of the officer's stance since there's the celebrity factor. If the cop was rude to Jones and the MMA fighter just signed the papers without ranting, the officer might be more scrutinized.
Now, a month away from the bout where he could reclaim his title, Jon Jones is sitting in a jail cell because of a probation violation. After "Bones" Jones was sentenced to probation last year, I penned a column that stated "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent," a quote from the "A Bronx's Tale" film. Sadly, that might be a statement that continues to summarize the career of Jon Jones, as instead of training in the gym, he will have to dodge legal jabs in court during a hearing scheduled on Thursday. As I've said previously, Jon Jones is one of the greatest athletes to step into the octagon and despite all the fumbles, he still has the ability to become a legend in the sport. In my opinion, Jon Jones' biggest problem is Jon Jones, as it appears as though his celebrity status has turned the once 23-year-old humble champion into the now arrogant 28-year-old that has made more headlines outside the cage than he has in competition. Certainly, the five years in the spotlight seems to have inflated Jones' ego, but if he wants to avoid becoming another precautionary tale in sports, he should get a reality check.
As of this writing, Jones is still in custody, awaiting a hearing for the probation violation, but his lawyers will probably get him released without any major penalties. If that's the case, the fight with Cormier in a few weeks shouldn't be in jeopardy, but it speaks volumes to Jones' continuous problems. Despite his attempts to portray himself as learning from his past mistakes, "Bones" Jones continues to grapple with legal problems.
If Jon Jones gets his career back on track is his decision and as mentioned previously, it would be extremely disappointing if he doesn't reach his potential because of a laundry list of unwise decision. Make no mistake about it, Jon Jones could because one of the greatest fighters of all time in combat sports, but he's basically sabotaging his own career. Again, Jon Jones has the potential to be great, if he conducts himself like it, both inside and outside of the sport.
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