Why Jon Jones' destiny isn't about him anymore
On paper, Jon Jones’ path to UFC 200 was panning out impeccably.
He had been sober for a year, his performance against a game Ovince St.Preux at UFC 197,while not typically effervescent, was certainly effective, and he even settled for an interim UFC Light Heavyweight Title to show for his efforts.
Let’s face it. Everyone loves a redemption story.
And for all intents and purposes, it looked like Jon Jones was penning a captivating one. The fall from grace was followed by time spent in soulful reverie, and despite briefly threatening disaster in between, Jon Jones seemed to be on course to come full circle at UFC 200.
Only for all of it to spectacularly fall apart.
Two days removed from arguably the biggest card assembled by the promotion, Jon Jones was pulled from the main event of UFC 200 due to a violation of the USADA anti-doping policy.
In a perfect world, this wasn’t in the script at all.
But we don’t live in a perfect world, and Jon Jones is hardly a perfect person, as he has so indelibly imprinted in our minds by now.
For a fighter who was widely expected to assert himself at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings after UFC 200, he’s staring down the barrel yet again, this time, to grapple with a potential 2-year suspension ahead of him.
Not too long ago, Jon Jones referred to Daniel Cormier as a ‘pawn’ in his destiny; a destiny that would no doubt see him reclaim the belt that he never lost. But perhaps for the first time today, in the year long odessey that has unfolded after his infamous hit-and-run incident, the narrative isn’t about Jon Jones anymore.
This one is about the everyone else.