The fact that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was recently arrested for a DUI offense should come as no surprise—no pun intended, but he’s been an accident waiting to happen.
Ever since “Bone” Jones systematically destroyed Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to capture the 205-pound crown, certain sections of the MMA contingent have come to loathe him with a passion.
True or not, two phrases which have become synonymous with the Endicott, New Yorker are arrogant and fake, which probably stem from his antics both inside and outside the Octagon.
Jones (16-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) might come across as a superhuman species in a steel cage, but once on the outside, he’s susceptible like everyone else to the vulnerabilities and pitfalls that life presents us.
At 23, he became the youngest ever UFC champion, and with such success comes adulation, fame and sometimes over-the-top scrutinization from fans as well as the media.
We’re not privy to what goes on behind closed doors apropos how he deals and/or has dealt with his newfound fame, not to mention the overt criticism slung his way at every given opportunity.
Nevertheless, his rant on Facebook suggests the burden of being this overly clean-cut guy and to boot, the champ, had been festering away for some time now.
“Man I haven’t added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I’m so glad that I haven’t. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time.”
“Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans,” Jones said.
Being in the media’s spotlight is tantamount to striking a Faustian bargain—in Jones’ case—anonymity for eminence.
He can allow the pomp, pageantry and criticism associated with being a well-known celebrity to consume him like a raging fire or use the aforementioned as a source of inspiration to scale even higher heights.
However, I believe Jones’ recent indiscretion and infraction of which he’s plead guilty to is just a minor blip and his trajectory to MMA greatness is still on course.
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