The UFC has stripped Jon Jones of the light heavyweight title and suspended him indefinitely. This comes after Jones was released by New Mexico Police for being processed on felony hit and run charges stemming from an accident early Sunday morning.
The reports are filled with bizarre behavior on the part of Jones, who allegedly blew a red light and slammed into a car, causing a 20-year-old pregnant woman to break her arm. He is then said to have started to flee the scene on foot, then returned to grab a wad of cash out his car only to flee again. He supposedly left a pipe and pot in the car. Jones was wanted for questioning, and when he did not turn up in the first 24 hours, he was upgraded to “suspect”, and it took some time before he turned himself in. Once he was processed and released on bail, he literally ran from reporters, and he left a smarmy lawyer making statements like “Jon has a big fight coming up, he wants to get ready for it”. He basically left the UFC no choice.
Jones´history includes a 2012 DUI, several other car accidents and a failed drug test for cocaine in late 2014, all of which the UFC met with just token responses and slaps on the wrist. Jones checked into a rehab clinic after testing positive for cocaine, but left after one day and no one asked any questions. While Jones makes millions, he was fined just $30,000 for his cocaine use, and he was booked to fight with no other consequences.
Jones was scheduled to face Anthony Johnson as the main event of UFC 187 on May 23. With that fight less than a month away, the UFC has decided to fill Jones spot with rival Daniel Cormier, a man Jones beat rather easily in his last outing, as Cormier will now face Anthony Johnson for what is a vacant title.
Jones future is in question, as he has not really done anything but show a defiant face. We may never know what happened but in a scenario where he gets a light sentence or a suspended sentence and pains a fine, it may not be enough of a message to Jones. Perhaps losing his UFC belt will be the wake up call he needs.
