For as great as Jon Jones has been inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Octagon, his life outside of the cage has at times been a bit rocky. It’s been well-documented, and for his part, Jon doesn’t try to run from it. Even if he tried, his opponents wouldn’t let him.
And while none of us are perfect, when your under a spotlight as bright as Jones, it leaves you open to criticism at every turn when you do something that’s frowned upon.
It’s something Jon has had to deal with over the years from fans, fighters and media alike. When it comes to his fellow combatants poking fun at his woes away from the arena, Jones understands its simply because they can’t attack his fight game. Because while he does have holes in his personal life, trying to find weakness in his well-rounded attack has proven to be a tough task for anyone who has tried.
“A lot of my opponents try to insult my personal life because there is not much to say about my martial arts game,” said “Bones” during a recent interview with UFC.com.
“I worked really hard to try not to show any glaring holes in my game, but I definitely have some glaring holes in my personal life. I think that is something that I will have to deal with a little while longer moving forward, but eventually that will be over.”
UFC president Dana White has gone on record multiple times to call Jon the greatest ever, stating that he could have done even greater things had his career not be tarnished with his troubles outside of fighting.
Indeed, from failing multiple drug tests, admitting his use of recreational drugs and getting in trouble for a hit-and run, Jon has had his fair share of troubles during his time as Light Heavyweight champion. On that note, “Bones” has taken the proper steps to stay on the straight and narrow.
Inside the cage, Jon has been as perfect as it gets, having never truly lost a fight and pretty much cleaning out a division that was at one time considered the most talented under the UFC umbrella.
“Bones” will look to add to his already-impressive resume as he looks to score his tenth title defense this Saturday night when he faces Thiago Santos at UFC 239 in Las Vegas, Nevada. If he can add that notch to his belt, he’ll be at the halfway point to his ultimate goal of 20 title defenses.