Jon Jones has amassed a wealth of labels over a 16-year UFC career that is almost exhaustive in complexity.
First, he was the wunderkind, as he faced such esteemed contenders as Maurício Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans, while building his case as the new face of the sport. In 2011, he became the UFC’s youngest champion at the age of 23.
He soon faced criticism for his maneuvering in the cutthroat and often caustic world of combat sports, when UFC president Dana White called him “selfish” for not accepting an opponent at the last minute in 2012. Similar images continue to appear on social media today, from fighters and fans and observers in the sport wanting to send Jones to their favorite entertainment. “On the Internet, everyone says, ‘You’re a duck,’” Jones said in an interview, referring to the fact that he picked certain fights and, in some minds, avoided others. “Is being called a duck supposed to influence my decisions? What is this, high school?”
A series of deeper, more troubling setbacks throughout his career have often led to even harsher assessments. He failed three drug tests, explaining the first to USA Today in 2016 by saying, “I was a drug addict.” Jones has faced frequent legal troubles, including accusations of hitting women, including his fiancée, and was stripped of a championship belt when he was accused of fleeing the scene of an accident on foot.
His biggest rivalry, with Daniel Cormier, was severely sidelined as a result, and when Jones tested positive for anabolic steroids, he was stripped of his belt for a third time and his knockout of Cormier was changed to a no contest.
White then said that this could be the end of Jones’ career. On Thursday, he said that despite the tension in their working relationship, it was “common sense” to continue booking fights for him.
“You can’t deny what this man has achieved. And most of the things he accomplished, he did because he wasn’t very good to himself,” White said The Athletics. ‘He is the greatest of all time and one of the worst people to ever walk the earth. And when I talk about him, I also talk about his dark side. I mean, Jon Jones is a scary guy.”
He added: “I said to Lorenzo Fertitta (former UFC executive), ‘This is a guy you can’t build a business with.’”
Jones cries during a press conference in 2016 after his fight with Daniel Cormier was scrapped days before UFC 200. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Yet Jones has exactly that status, with top performances in what could reasonably be considered UFC’s biggest event of the year. Jones will fight for the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic, another great in the sport, on Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“I think sometimes Jon Jones struggles with these inner demons about who he is and I think he wants to be that good guy. I think he has a lot of internal struggle with who he really is. But what Jon Jones ultimately has to deal with 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 is doing now,” White said.
Jones declined to discuss details surrounding his arrests and other issues, but broadly acknowledged his stumbles. “I haven’t always lived a perfect Christian life,” he said, a reference to the religious themes that he says are a big part of his family and private life. (On Saturday, a Bible verse will be etched on his trunk to reflect one of his tattoos.)
“I would like people to remember me as a person who overcame, a person who was very human, a man with many flaws and a man who truly loved God from beginning to end,” he added.
His parents, Camille and Arthur Jones Jr., raised three sons who reached the top of their sports. Both of Jon’s brothers were Super Bowl-winning defensive linemen; his older brother, Arthur, during 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 gets up at 4 a.m. to fast and pray for his sons, then blow up their phones with sermons and Bible verses. Camille, who died in 2017 from complications of diabetes, was praised by women at their church at her memorial for her impact on their lives, Jones said.
“She showed me that you can be a rock star without being a professional athlete, without being famous,” he said.
Jones said his parents showed him how to be admired. His public mistakes, on the other hand, are his responsibility.
“The best parts of me definitely came from them, in terms of the humanitarian side of me, the compassionate side of me, the side that really, truly cares about my neighbor. Now, as human beings, we have many sides…” Jones said before cutting off.
In the octagon, Jones is clear that he is fighting for his own ends rather than getting involved in fights that may be in high demand.
Jones and Miocic pose before their UFC 309 title fight. (Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
This week he circled interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, a British fighter who won the interim title a year ago when Jones had to postpone a fight with Miocic due to a shoulder injury. Aspinall fought Sergei Pavlovich instead and even defended the interim title earlier this year while Jones waited to fight Miocic. Miocic has greater name recognition but, at 42, is four years removed from his last victory.
Still, Jones doesn’t seem interested in fighting Aspinall and says he would rather fight Alex Pereira, the light heavyweight champion who has quickly risen to stardom. He could also retire, a common move fighters use for a variety of reasons – often genuine and also often to increase their bankability in a sport on a fight-by-fight basis.
“If the UFC is interested in having me come back and maybe fight Pereira, I think that’s a fight worth having.” Jones said. “And besides that, man, I’d like to try my hand in Hollywood, and use some of this clout that I’ve acquired to put myself in some really cool roles, in movie roles and action movies and stuff like that. ”
Jon Jones is ready to hang up the gloves.
The heavyweight champion told @TheAthletic its main purpose #UFC309 is to become the first man to subdue Stipe Miocic, “and I’m prepared to retire after that, very happy.” pic.twitter.com/6jeOiJh32q
— Mark Puleo (@ByMarkPuleo) November 8, 2024
White said he would only entertain Jones fighting Pereira, who has become the new UFC darling due to his exciting style and frequent, action-packed title defenses, if Jones fights Aspinall first.
“If Jon wants to fight Aspinall, we will. And if he beats Aspinall and then says he wants to fight Pereira, I would consider that,” White said.
The uncertainty creates a lot of drama regardless of Jones-Miocic’s outcome.
“You can call me chicken, duck, goat or whatever,” Jones said, adding, “It’s not my responsibility to help someone else build a brand or give someone an opportunity. My job is to take care of my legacy and do what is best for my legacy.”
Jones – at 27-1 with the no-contest and his only loss a disqualification – appreciates that being considered one of the greatest fighters is part of how fans discuss his mark on the sport.
“I feel like it will always be an opinion. Some people like fighters because of the way they act. Some people like fighters because of the way they compete. Some people love fighters because of the way they changed the sport. There are so many different opinions on that,” Jones said. “I’m just grateful to be part of the conversation.”
And White said the results were clear, despite saying he found it difficult to work with Jones at times. “Win, lose, draw on Saturday night, his legacy is set. He’s the greatest of all time,” White said. “No one has achieved what he has achieved.”
Required reading
(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)