UFC welterweight slams fans for expecting "Liver King"-esque physique from Jon Jones
A UFC welterweight contender has hit back at fans who criticized Jon Jones' physique ahead of his heavyweight debut.
'Bones' is set to mark the end of his three-year hiatus this weekend by stepping into the octagon against Ciryl Gane for the vacant 265-pound strap. Jones vacated the light heavyweight title in 2020 and has spent the time away preparing himself to fight in the heavier weight class.
The UFC recently released photos of the fighters competing at UFC 285 this weekend. In the photos, Jones is sporting his heavyweight frame, which some fans have criticized when compared to his physique at 205 pounds.
📸 Jon Jones light heavyweight vs Jon Jones heavyweight… 😬 https://t.co/rdY7OiskaH
Belal Muhammad took to Twitter to defend Jones and call out fans for expecting 'Bones' to look like the controversial fitness personality 'Liver King':
"People were expecting Jon Jones to take his shirt off and look like liver king? Lol relax he still gets the finish"
People were expecting Jon jones to take his shirt off and look like liver king? Lol relax he still gets the finish
UFC featherweight Sodiq Yusuff responded to Muhammad's post and joked that he was one of those fans expecting to see a vastly different version of 'Bones':
"@bullyb170 Not gonna lie.....I was"
@bullyb170 Not gonna lie.....I was 🤣🤦🏿♂️
Jon Jones says he received counseling to redeem himself from past actions
The fighter considered by some to be the greatest of all time is no stranger to run-ins with the law.
When Jon Jones was at the peak of his powers in the UFC, he was arrested five times. His offenses include drunk driving, domestic violence, battery assault, a hit-and-run, and the negligent use of firearms.
Speaking to BT Sport ahead of his fight with Ciryl Gane this weekend, Jones opened up about his actions in the past. The 35-year-old expressed remorse over all the incidents and stated that he'd taken the steps to better himself and move on from the person he once was:
"Everyone knows I've had a lot of ups and downs in my career. I've learned to forgive myself for some of the dumb things that I've done and received a lot of counseling and a lot of prayers. A lot of meditation and self-reflection... I've come to terms that all of us humans, we do dumb sh*t."
Catch Jones' comments here: