Nobody saw this coming at all.
Jon Jones’ recent arrest this past weekend has certainly brought disbelief for some fans, but have also brought more headaches for the UFC, particularly UFC president Dana White.
The UFC has had their fair share of employees with run-ins with the law, but the company has invested a lot of stock into the 24-year-old light heavyweight champion, and he arguably possesses the most potential out of the entire roster.
Jones’ image has been carefully manufactured to appeal to nearly all audiences, but despite the UFC’s best efforts, fans haven’t been too interested in the champion.
And following this incident, it isn’t likely going to change—and it will not help either.
The impact of Jones’ incident could determine how the champion is perceived throughout the rest of his career, and it could affect his image with future endorsements with mainstream sponsors, like Nike and Gatorade.
Jones will likely have to face a huge amount of scrutiny from the fans and the media, and it’s not likely to end anytime soon.
For now, the champion won’t serve any jail time, but this is not the kind of publicity that the company would want reflected on one of its top stars, let alone on their brand.
For a fighter the UFC has spent a lot time marketing as the company’s next big star, it will take some time before the company puts their faith in him once again.
Perhaps as the sport progresses, the UFC will take another chance at promoting him, but it is a better option to continue marketing current stars like Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre.
Jones needs a break. And so do the fans too.
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