Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones took a plea deal with prosecutors in Nevada. After a Jones fight was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, the incident happened.
According to reports, after facing a domestic violence charge, Jones saw the case against him dismissed on Tuesday. According to court documents, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of destruction of property with a value of $25-$250.
Stay Out Of Trouble
Jones has one court-ordered condition: “stay out of trouble.” According to Clark County court records, he was also ordered to pay $750 restitution to the victim and receive anger management counseling.
On Sept. 24, Jones was charged with domestic violence and felony vehicle tampering after an alleged incident with his fiancée at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
According to reports, Jones’ fiancée told police he put a hand on her but didn’t strike her. However, police were called early in the morning for the domestic disturbance, eventually arresting Jones outside the hotel.
Career Of Issues
Jones (26-1, 1 NC) has had a succession of issues throughout his career that have permanently marred his brand.
After Jones’ latest domestic abuse allegation, his longtime coach, John Winklejohn, banned him from the Jackson-Winkeljohn Academy, where Jones trained alongside Claressa Shields, Holly Holm, and more.
He hadn’t fought since Feb. 8, 2020, when he won a unanimous decision against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. Jones has sought to fight at heavyweight but has been unhappy with the UFC’s financial terms.
Jon Jones lawyer after getting him off without jail time for the 7th time in a row:
pic.twitter.com/SqLug67UHR— Super Fan🇮🇪 (@McGregorRousey) December 16, 2021
Lesson Learned?
Jones said he would quit drinking and focus on his fighting career. But he was also banned from his longtime training home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, JacksonWink MMA.
“I just had a conversation with him,” said Mike Winkeljohn. “I said, ‘Jon, here’s the deal, man. You’re like my little brother. You have to stop drinking and fix these things for a certain period of time until you come back to the gym,'” Winkeljohn said.
“So at the moment, he’s out of the gym. He’s not allowed to come in the gym because I feel I had to do that. Ignoring it and expecting different results is insanity.”
The GOAT?
For many, Jon Jones is the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. However, he has put himself in precarious conditions that have affected his legacy.
Dec10.2011
10 years ago today,
Jon Jones choked Lyoto Machida to unconsciousness. pic.twitter.com/Eib7D6NQwQ
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) December 10, 2021
Jones has been hazardous behind the wheel from a 2012 DUI conviction, a hit-and-run conviction in 2015, and a 2020 DWI conviction.
Jones has had failed drug tests in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and a 2019 battery conviction from an incident at a strip club.
Y’all will defend Colby because he’s playing a villain, but will get mad at Jon Jones for actually being one. pic.twitter.com/OiWBEbUzlg
— Kairos (@KAIROSMMA2) December 17, 2021
Heavy Weight
Jones has moved to heavyweight but has yet to compete in the UFC at that weight. He was rumored to have a fight against UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngganou on his return. However, Ngganou is less optimistic about the potential bout.
“Personally, I don’t really care about that anymore,” Ngannou said to MMAJunkie. “There’s a lot of talk about Jon Jones, he says a lot of things, and yet we are still here. I wasn’t even expecting fighting someone other than Jon Jones after the Stipe fight, but here I am, almost 10 months away and going to fight Ciryl Gane, which wasn’t in the picture, in the landscape at that moment at all.
“So what Jon Jones says and what Jon Jones does are two different things and I can’t bet on that. I can’t put my money on that. So I just do what I’m gonna do. We don’t know what the future is going to hold for us.”
