The best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is no longer a UFC champion.
The UFC stripped Jon Jones of his light heavyweight title Tuesday night in the wake of his arrest on felony hit-and-run charges this week, UFC president Dana White announced on FOX Sports 1. Anthony Johnson will remain in the main event of UFC 187 and meet Daniel Cormier with the title on the line.
“It’s not fun, but you know what they say: the show goes on,” White said.
Jones has been suspended from the UFC indefinitely.
“Obviously he has to focus on his legal matters right now,” White said.
White, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and COO Lawrence Epstein were all in Albuquerque to meet with Jones and his attorney Vincent Ward on Tuesday.
Jones was arrested Monday night in Albuquerque on a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injury. He had his felony first appearance in San Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court on Tuesday and was released on a bail continuance. Jones paid $2,500 on Monday night and freed after he was booked in the Metro Detention Center.
The judge did not put any travel restrictions on Jones on Tuesday in order to allow him to compete at UFC 187 in Las Vegas. But that won’t matter now.
Jones was allegedly the driver in a three-car, hit-and-run crash Sunday morning in Albuquerque. The New York native allegedly ran a red light in a rented Buick SUV and crashed into a car driven by a pregnant woman, who suffered a fractured arm as a result of the collision. Jones then allegedly fled the scene on foot, but not before returning to the car and grabbing a handful of cash, according to witnesses.
Jones was identified at the scene by an off-duty police officer and UFC fan. Albuquerque police was unable to locate him until Monday afternoon when an arrest warrant was issued and the arrangement was made for Jones to turn himself in.
In the Buick, police found a marijuana pipe with marijuana inside of it. Jones does not currently face drug possession charges, according to the Albuquerque Police Department, but those could be revisited at a later date.
Cormier was supposed to meet Ryan Bader in the main event of UFC Fight Night 68. UFC vice president of public relations Dave Sholler tweeted Tuesday there would be more information about that headliner coming in the next few days.