5 famous UFC fighters that failed outside the Octagon
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a tough sport, with its fair share of challenges. However, the challenges that life throws at you, can at times be much tougher to deal with than the challenges of the sport itself.
MMA fighters are some of the toughest athletes on the planet, however, they are not infallible. They go through several ups and downs inside and outside the cage.
At times, it’s the struggles outside the cage that can really tear them down. Regardless of whether these fighters bring such problems onto themselves, or unknowingly run into them; it is a cold, hard fact that these issues break them down- mentally, physically as well as spiritually.
There have been several examples of popular Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters falling prey to their personal demons outside the Octagon. A few examples of such notable UFC stars are as follows:
#5 Jon Jones
Jon Jones is the former UFC Light Heavyweight (LHW/205 pound) champion and the former interim UFC LHW champion.
His MMA foundation is in wrestling, however, he possesses a well-rounded MMA game, including a vast array of Muay Thai-based strikes coupled with a vaunted Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) game.
He is well known for keeping opponents at the end of his strikes, making good utilisation of the significant reach advantage that he enjoys over most of his opponents in the LHW division. An important criticism of Jones’ fighting style is his constant utilisation of eye pokes that are illegal in MMA.
Besides, he also utilises his infamous oblique kicks to his opponents’ kneecaps, thereby attempting to hyper-extend their knees; in order to defeat them.
The oblique kick, although legal, is considered by many MMA practitioners as a dishonourable move. As far as the eye poke strategy is concerned, Jones has gotten away with it for far too long inside the Octagon.
However, with the implementation of the modified MMA rules in 2017, referees are now allowed to take severe action against fighters who extend their fingers, repeatedly, toward their opponents’ eyes in an attempt to land an eye poke. As of yet, Jones hasn’t completed under the new MMA rules.
Also read: 5 Famous UFC fighters that would fail miserably in the WWE
Jones has been embroiled in several controversies outside the Octagon as well. In May of 2012, Jones was involved in a DUI incident when he rammed his Bentley Continental GT into a pole in New York.
He was bailed out by his mother and later pleaded guilty to the DUI charges. On April 2014, Jones was accused of hurling homophobic slurs at a Swedish MMA fan, an incident after which Jones claimed that his phone was stolen and that his account was hacked.
On April 27th 2015, Jones was involved in a highly publicized hit-and-run case in his adopted hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jones rammed his rented SUV into an oncoming vehicle at an Albuquerque traffic junction.
The vehicle was driven by a pregnant woman who suffered a broken arm due to the collision. Meanwhile, Jones fled the scene but came back minutes later to allegedly grab a bag full of cash and some other valuables; leaving behind a marijuana pipe with marijuana inside of it.
On September 29th 2015, Jones pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the crime. He was then sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation. On July 8th 2016, a urine sample from Jones’ out-of-competition drug test tested positive for two banned substances.
The substances, clomiphene and letrozole were on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substances list, and were described as ‘hormone and metabolic modulators’.
Now, as if all of this isn’t enough, Jones also has the wonderful habit, of ‘trolling’ and mocking people (fans, in particular) on social media. He then goes on to delete whatever offensive content he directs towards his fans on social media.
For Jones, moving forward, hypocrisy seems to be his biggest issue. With all his run-ins with the law now behind him; the biggest enemy that Jones faces, is himself. He claims to be a good, role-model Christian boy; however, his actions seem to contradict his claims.
Furthermore, this contrast isn’t a one-time thing either. Jon Jones is a walking contradiction - a true representation of everything that is right and wrong with today’s youth.