(While not without his faults, Jones remains a much better role model than Peyton Manning.)
It has been an…eventful six months for former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, or at least, that’s how he describes them in his recent interview with Ariel Helwani. I’ll spare you all the readily available details, but suffice it to say, Jones has screwed up, repeatedly, and it’s cost him nearly everything.
But finally, it appears the maybe, just maybe, his past mistakes are having an effect on his present mindset. With his UFC suspension now lifted and his court case settled, Jones has rededicated himself to recapturing his belt, and the results thus far have been astounding. He may have a long way to go still to earn back our respect, but with the lengthy interview after the jump, he’s at least taking the first step and accepting the blame for what he’s done.
Video after the jump.
Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from this interview was not Jones’ retelling of his hit-and-run accident (17:00), or his vehement denial that he “likes coke” (42:00) but his accusation that the UFC was aware of Vitor Belfort’s now infamously sketchy pre-UFC 152 drug test (45:10).
Vitor Belfort was on steroids when I fought him. The UFC was very well aware, way before the fight. They did nothing to penalize him. They let the fight go on knowing that I was fighting a guy on steroids, which is a hazard to my life. What do you do?
I haven’t brought it up to them yet, but the fans know. The power of the UFC and this Athletic Commission, eventually something needs to be done about it. To know that they put me in there with him, knowing that he was on something, it’s really a slap to the face.
I would like to be more of a company guy and do things right, but at the same time, I’ve been bent over quite a few times by them. It’s just like…it’s hard to see where I stand man. I just hope the fans are aware of some of the shenanigans they pull.
I don’t know about you guys, but I am shocked — SHOCKED I tells ya! — that the UFC would be willing to potentially put one of their own athletes in a dangerous situation to make something as frivolous as money. Ick, you guys. Ick.
Check out the entire interview if you’ve got the time, and let us know if you think that the redemption of Jon Jones is something you’ll ever be able to get behind.
The post [VIDEO] Jon Jones Finally Speaks About Accident, Suspension, + Vitor Belfort’s “Sketchy” UFC 152 Drug Test appeared first on Cagepotato.