5 reasons why Jon Jones should never fight in the UFC again
Jon Jones made his UFC debut in 2008 and quickly established himself as an exceptionally talented athlete. He dominated experienced fighters like Vladimir Matyushenko, Ryan Bader and Stephan Bonnar. In 2011, Jones won the light heavyweight title after beating Mauricio Rua at UFC 198. He became the youngest champion in UFC history.
'Bones' defended the title eleven times. His unorthodox style and strong wrestling enabled him to overcome every challenger. However, Jones is also his own worst enemy. Trouble with the law, doping violations and suspensions have derailed his legendary title reign on multiple occasions.
These incidents have not only harmed his career but also the image of the sport in mainstream media.
If this is the Apex of heavyweight fighting, I’m excited about it. Got some more records to break
'Bones' is preparing to make his heavyweight debut. However, a question must be asked: should Jon Jones be allowed to fight in the UFC again? Here are five reasons he should not.
#5. The UFC has stirpped Jon Jones of his title multiple times
Jon Jones was first stripped of his title in 2015 due to a hit-and-run incident. After dealing with legal repercussions, Jones returned to the UFC in 2016. But before his rematch against Daniel Cormier, he tested positive for estrogen blockers. This resulted in the fight getting canceled.
🤯The #UFC214 promo was about as incredible as they come 🔥🤯
Jones v Cormier 2 replay | BT Sport 3 HD | 9:00pm https://t.co/MxBC7FbRao
According to Jones, he had only taken Cialis, a sexual stimulant. He was unaware the pills had been tampered with. In the end, the court ruled in favor of 'Bones' and concluded that the violation was unintentional. However, he was handed a one-year suspension.
His triumphant return in 2017 quickly turned sour as well. After defeating 'DC' at UFC 214, Jon Jones failed another drug test. This time Turinabol was found in his urine. His KO victory was declared a no-contest and Jones was stripped once again.
Jon Jones failed drug test at UFC 214 mmafighting.com/2017/8/22/1618… https://t.co/swBBmuuFus
Facing a four-year suspension, Jones argued that he didn't know how the substance entered his system. After a thorough investigation by an independent arbitrator, he was found innocent. The suspension was reduced to fifteen months.
Finally in 2018, 'Bones' tested positive for traces of Turinabol in his system. After an investigation, USADA ruled that it was residue from his previous ingestion and would remain in his system for some time. He was not punished and has been clean since the incident. However, it begs the question: did the former champion get away with doping before USADA got involved?