Chael Sonnen is certainly no stranger to the legal process.
The former UFC contender is serving a two-year suspension for testing positive for banned substances, but argues now former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones shouldn’t face similar consequences.
Jones was suspended by the UFC and stripped of his title this week following his alleged involvement in a hit and run auto accident April 26 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Listen, if you want to come down on a guy, you release him,” Sonnen said this week on his podcast. “That’s it. You don’t keep him but take his belt away. Not even in professional wrestling would they do that. Take a guy’s belt without him being out due to an injury? Without him losing one, two, three? It doesn’t work that way.
“So lets just make believe that it does. You’re going to punish Jon Jones for a legal action in Albuquerque, which has nothing to do with a fist fight taking place in Nevada, but let’s pretend. What the hell do you do with him then? Does he not fight main events anymore? If he’s not fighting for titles do we move him over to [Fox Sports 1]? Who does he fight? Does he fight the other No. 1 contenders?”
Anthony Johnson was due to challenge Jones May 23 in the main event at UFC 187 in Las Vegas. With former contender Daniel Cormier stepping in on short notice, ‘Rumble’ loses out on being the man who beat the man.
“Guys want to see Jon Jones stripped and then they want to fight for a title?” asked Sonnen. “But you don’t cut him so he’s still in the league. You know he can beat you. You know he’s the undefeated champion. You know he’s the best fighter out there. How are you going to put that belt around your waist and feel good about it? He didn’t fail a drug test. He wasn’t in violation with the commission.
“If Jon Jones stays in the division and you accept a title while he’s still in the division and you didn’t beat him, you’re a punk. You’re a punk! I would never put a belt around my waist knowing the guy five feet away from me is the true owner of it.”
Jones faces a felony charge of leaving the scene of a crime and could face jail time if convicted.
“I would never defend what Jon did, however, we do have bodies to take care of those things,” said Sonnen. “They’re called ‘the police.’ It sounds like Jon has an issue with the police, which will be escalated to the [District Attorney’s] office, but it needs to stay there in Albuquerque. I’m not sure how that would affect a state agency out in Nevada.”
According to Sonnen, it should be up to the authorities to police athletes, not the UFC.
“The UFC shouldn’t be put in this spot,” said Sonnen. “If the commission says, ‘We’re fine with the fight’ then the UFC should hold the fight. It doesn’t need to be this big [public relations] battle with people pushing back. We’re running a fight business. We’re not running a church, here. If the commission, a government agency, says, ‘Green-light it’ then hold the damn fight. Quit trying to hold the UFC responsible for everything.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
The MMA Beat. The panel discusses all things Jon Jones: from his arrest, to getting stripped of the belt, to losing sponsors.
Champ to champ. UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez says Jon Jones needs to ‘fix’ what’s wrong in his life.
Out. John Makdessi will now face Donald Cerrone at UFC 187 with Khabib Nurmagomedov set to undergo surgery Friday.
Oh, AKA. Javier Mendez calls Khabib Nurmagomedov’s injury a ‘freak accident.’
‘Excited to be starting over.’ WSOF has released UFC veteran Melvin Guillard.
MEDIA STEW
New UFC 187 promo.
Donald Cerrone keeps truckin’.
More Sonnen on Jones.
Luke Rockhold hanging on against Ronda Rousey.
Pancrase, PRIDE, IFL and UFC vet Allan Goes calls out Renzo Gracie.
Bob Sapp threatening to have another fight with Hong Man Choi.
TTTHS.
Long watches.
Mayweather vs Pacquiao: Final Predictions
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THE MMA ROAD SHOW WITH JOHN MORGAN – EPISODE 5 – LAS VEGAS
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TWEETS
Clearing that up.
Jus so you all know I dnt wish injury on anyone!!! pic.twitter.com/yJG8iiGm2s
— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) April 30, 2015
Congrats.
I want to thank the @ufc and @Cowboycerrone for this great opportunity. This will be an exciting fight for the fans #ufc187
— JohnTheBull Makdessi (@JohnMakdessiMMA) April 30, 2015
Confident.
My hands will be raised and my soldiers will be with me on May 23 #RumbleSquad http://t.co/olpZJy9qdC
— Anthony Johnson (@Anthony_Rumble) April 30, 2015
Cool.
Trained the Marines combat instructor’s today pic.twitter.com/K4swVOQmkc
— Chris Leben (@cripplerufc) May 1, 2015
Going to start training the Falcons on Monday, some MMA/toughness drills as they look to help me w/ @HireHeroesUSA in our HQ Atlanta
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) May 1, 2015
Honored to have taught at the first annual #GrapplersHeart at the @renzograciebjj in Brooklyn, NY…. https://t.co/0sVV4htIk6
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) April 27, 2015
Had the honors of speaking at my sons class making sure the kids stay in school and follow there… https://t.co/hGqkhrw4Wb
— Willie Gates (@WhOopassWilliE) April 30, 2015
Get well soon.
Seen the doc today says I’m 7/8 weeks away from getting cleared to train full go. The bone is looking excellent pic.twitter.com/zOy5HIWOxP
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) May 1, 2015
Happy birthday to the one and only Hazardous Hal. Love you Pops! Apple doesn’t fall to far from the… https://t.co/kwBH2CtcxX
— TJ Dillashaw (@TJDillashaw) May 1, 2015
Beef.
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) April 30, 2015
Was watching @jimrome on @SHO_Network. Quick question! When did @sonnench win a @ufc LHW title? Did I miss something?
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) May 1, 2015
Not crazy about your tone, Tito. https://t.co/VPFXcYT8bE
— Chael Sonnen (@sonnench) May 1, 2015
@sonnench @jimrome @SHO_Network @ufc come on Chael it’s hard ass work 2get that title.Shouldn’t be thrown around like a name tag.#justsaying
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) May 1, 2015
Earl work is one way, easy opponents is another. https://t.co/1Ra4YZbqAB
— Chael Sonnen (@sonnench) May 1, 2015
@sonnench who?
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) May 1, 2015
This Week in Struggle.
You guys should be proud of me… I got in a car accident last night and didn’t even run away.
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) April 30, 2015
Out here with officer Siv #stocktonpd #stockton even with several obstacles thrown in my way still… https://t.co/xk1MCeW3LU
— nick diaz (@nickdiaz209) April 28, 2015
The Internet: I want Jones stripped of his belt cuz I’m jealous & never had a ufc belt. Oh and I suck at commentating.
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) April 28, 2015
My jaw is wired shut. That’s why I’m on a liquid diet :/
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) April 29, 2015
If I had half the money that sponsors owe me, I would be watching these fights from my new pool! https://t.co/luYInNGtO9
— Kit Cope (@KitCope) April 26, 2015
Didn’t mean to gain 5 pounds of muscle now this weight cut going to be harder. #Cutting20
— THE BLACK BEAST (@Thebeast_ufc) April 26, 2015
When the closet’s just not quite enough…. #ghettofab. pic.twitter.com/soMiUbgNUA
— Dominick Cruz (@TheDomin8r) April 28, 2015
“@adamgriffin20: @Cowboycerrone so do you have any injuries going into the fight ?” Ya my bank account hurts
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) April 28, 2015
Still supporting the home town @bucks BMO Harris #mke #milwaukeee #414 @sergiopettis https://t.co/9VQLDhop0f
— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) May 1, 2015
Waiting by my phone as I do every year for the #NFLDraft. I really hope these teams know I’m ready to step in at any moment.
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) May 1, 2015
I wish as many people retweeted my fundraiser for the kids as retweeted me saying I didn’t get drug tested….
— David Michaud (@bulldawgUFC) April 28, 2015
Plyometrics leg exercises at the gym today! https://t.co/SNIBtaCI60
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) April 30, 2015
Four strawweights… still cant take out @PhilMrWonderful #allianceninjas #alliancemma pic.twitter.com/mtIhnltpQ9
— ‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings (@RowdyBec) April 28, 2015
You wouldn’t believe the shit I had to put up with this past weekend! I’m counting this as a… https://t.co/zQb1nAZGTc
— Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) April 29, 2015
STOP AUTOCORRECTING ME, EXCEL, YOU PIECE OF TROLL DUNG!!!
— Julie Kedzie (@julesk_fighter) April 29, 2015
I’m finally making peace with the fact that I’ll be better known for *not* being @Jonnybones than anything I will ever actually do.
— Jon Jones (@jonjones) April 29, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (April 30 2015)
Khabib Nurmagomedov out, Donald Cerrone vs. John Makdessi at UFC 187
Tom Lawlor vs. Gian Villante at UFC on FOX 16
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via tigerlee.
The Outsiders: Top 25 LHWs Outside UFC, BMMA, and WSOF – April Edition
While most of the best talent is under the UFC banner and Bellator and WSOF have seemed scooped up the rest, there is still plenty of talent yet to be signed by the top promotions of the MMA food chain. These are not necessarily ‘free agents’ or even prospects, they are top 100 ranked fighters who are navigating the nebulous seas of regional and international fight promotion for whatever reason.
Most of the top half of the light heavyweight rankings stayed the same as the February edition with very minor re-shuffling. Dongi Yang made a surprise comeback with a first round TKO win over Dennis Hallman in South Korea. Although a great win, The Ox is probably better suited at 185 than 205. Kelvin Tiller surged back into the rankings with a second round RNC over Marcus Sursa in March. Misha Cirkunov defeated Rodney Wallace by head kick TKO in the first round to move himself into the rankings as well.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.