It's Finally Time for Jon Jones to Go to Jail
Jon Jones is one of the biggest "what ifs?" in professional sports. He has a career mixed martial arts record of 26-1 and should be the face of UFC. Failed drug tests and several criminal charges have given his career a much different narrative.
Jones seemed to rebound by winning the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in December 2018 and he defended this past February against Dominick Reyes. Was Jones back to being the face of the promotion? The answer was yes, until he was arrested last week for aggravated DWI and firearms charges.
Per this report, after his arrest, Jon Jones was found to have a bottle of Recuerdo (Jorge Masvidal's mezcal) behind the passenger's seat of his car.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) March 26, 2020
This is another troubling chapter in Jones's life and career and I hope that he is able to receive the help that he needs. https://t.co/wcItFLhOS0
UFC is in a tricky spot because if Jones never receives jail time there is nothing stopping him from freely showing up and fighting. It just gets harder and harder to market someone who always seems to be in legal or personal trouble. This time around could be different as the latest DWI charge could land Jones in jail.
Attorney: Jon Jones’ prior criminal history could get him jail time in DWI case https://t.co/zILyDzbcMv
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) March 30, 2020
Nothing good comes from pointing fingers at someone like Jones and declaring him a bad person. He clearly has things he needs to work through. Allegedly driving drunk with a gun in the car would be proof of that. Yet this arrest comes after Jones received a deferred jail sentence for a July 2019 incident where he allegedly slapped and choked a waitress at a New Mexico strip club.
Jones was directed to avoid further trouble and could not follow that one simple rule. What happens next is anyone's guess, but it doesn't look promising for the UFC champ.