Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Current UFC light heavyweight champion donates $20,000 worth of coats to the homeless in Alberquerque.
This winter holiday season has seemingly surfaced the charitable side of the MMA community. Recently Justin Gaethje paid off the lunch debts for students in a Colorado school. Now, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is doing his part for the less fortunate in Albuquerque.
Jones posted multiple pictures and videos of his team and himself on his Instagram profile handing out warm winter attire to the homeless in Albuquerque — with the caption “It’s a blessing to give, spread love.”
According to KRQE News, Jones donated $20,000 worth of coats and also partnered with a local charity to give out hot meals and toys to children. Jones told KRQE, “we have a lot of homeless, we have a lot of mentally ill here in this community and a lot of these guys are just misunderstood, they need help. Keeping them warm is going to be a great start for a better future.”
‘Bones’ joined Jackson MMA in Alberquerque, New Mexico in 2009 — which at the time was home to fighters such as Rashad Evans and Keith Jardine. The decision proved fruitful as the champion has remained unbeaten — save a disputed disqualification loss to Matt Hamill.
The 32-year-old, who was victorious in his most recent outing against Thiago Santos, is seeking to give back to a community that he believes has supported him throughout his career.
For the most part the weather is beautiful, at night the cold can be deadly https://t.co/aPDfbiuAzr
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) December 23, 2019
Temperatures during the winter months in Alberquerque can reach lows of 22°F (-6°C). This is coupled with increasing levels of homelessness as the Albuquerque Journal reported an increase of 200 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the city (from 2017 to 2019). It is no doubt that the work the UFC super star is doing will be quintessential to the community — as over 500 people are expected to benefit from Jones’s philanthropy.
Jones prepares for a title bout against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 which takes place on February 8, 2020 at the Toyota Center in Texas.