It may have taken him close to 24 hours to do so, but Jon Jones has finally turned himself in to Albuquerque police following his hit-and-run accident over the weekend. Now, he faces a completely different backlash, with fans, fighters, and media members alike calling for him to be pulled from UFC 187 and stripped of his title.
It may have taken him close to 24 hours to do so, but Jon Jones has finally turned himself in to Albuquerque police following his hit-and-run accident over the weekend. Now, he faces a completely different backlash, with fans, fighters, and media members alike calling for him to be pulled from UFC 187 and stripped of his title.
Details after the jump.
Late last night, it was confirmed by multiple outlets that Jones had officially been placed in custody following a bizarre series of events that resulted in local police issuing a felony warrant for his arrest. “Bones” was arrested for “felony leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injuries” and was booked at 7:11 p.m Monday evening. Shortly thereafter, however, Jones posted the $2,500 bail necessary and was released (probably why he went back to the scene to grab cash). Local affiliate KOAT was able to secure some footage of Jones leaving jail, but the champ refused to comment on his situation.
The UFC has yet to make an official statement on the situation beyond the one they initially made, but perhaps the most bizarre aspect of this story is that Jones has still yet to be removed from his UFC 187 title fight with Anthony Johnson. According to Jones’ attorney, Vincent Ward, ”[Jon] wants to get down to training for this fight he has. He wouldn’t want to be dealing with this right now, but he’s a great guy, he’s taking all this seriously.”
Yes, Vincent. He doesn’t want to be dealing with the HIT AND RUN INVOLVING A PREGNANT WOMAN HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR right now, but he’s willing to put off training for a couple days to because he’s a five star guy all around. (*slams head off desk*)
Meanwhile, fans and media members alike are calling for Jones to not only be removed from UFC 187, but stripped of his title. The most vocal of those detractors was none other than former UFC fighter-turned-commentator Kenny Florian on last night’s edition of America’s Pregame:
I think stripping him of the title is appropriate. Of course, if these allegations are true. I think cutting him may be a little bit harsh. I would be for stripping him of the title and getting him to realize that there are repercussions. If you screw up, there are repercussions and a possible fine. He was supposed to face Anthony Johnson, and I think that is the other repercussion; I don’t think he should — if this is true — I don’t think he should be allowed to fight Anthony Johnson. He needs to go and get help. I think UFC is probably, more likely, looking to find a replacement for Jon Jones at this point. I think that is going to happen if these allegations are true.
Even noted UFC shill Kevin Iole has called for Jones to be stripped, stating, “It would be a symbolic gesture to strip him, but an important measure of symbolism. The UFC will be saying that it meant it when it instituted a Fighter Code of Conduct, and that it’s not going to let Jones slide because he’s a great fighter and a big moneymaker.”
Word has it that Lorenzo Fertitta is currently flying out to New Mexico to personally meet with Jones. We will continue to update this post as information is made available.
UFC 186 provided some solid action despite being a woefully weak pay-per-view card, but UFC 187 is one of the most talent-rich events in UFC history. The full May 23 card is as follows:
Main Card (PPV)
Jon Jones vs. Anthony Johnson
Chris Weidman vs. …
UFC 186 provided some solid action despite being a woefully weak pay-per-view card, but UFC 187 is one of the most talent-rich events in UFC history. The full May 23 card is as follows:
In case you didn’t notice, there’s a whole lot to love about this card. There are two huge title fights in Jon Jones vs. Anthony Johnson and Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort. There’s a lightweight top contender bout in Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Donald Cerrone. Two elite flyweights in Joseph Benavidez and John Dodson meet John Moraga and Zach Makovsky, respectfully. I could keep going, if you can believe it!
It’s the first truly top-to-bottom-stacked UFC card in a good, long while, and it’s worth giving it the once-over. So buckle in, MMA fans, for the UFC 187 main card previews and predictions!
In terms of the famous poem by Robert Frost, the current UFC lightweight contender is a firm subscriber to taking the path less traveled by. His reasons for doing so are not to be adverse by nature, or his eagerness to seek out additional resistance, b…
In terms of the famous poem by Robert Frost, the current UFC lightweight contender is a firm subscriber to taking the path less traveled by. His reasons for doing so are not to be adverse by nature, or his eagerness to seek out additional resistance, but more along the lines that whichever route Cowboy’s heart and mind settle on traversing is always going to be the direction he heads.
It’s simply the way the hard-charging Albuquerque transplant is wired, and following his natural tendencies have carried him to become one of the most popular fighters in a highly competitive sport. Furthermore, MMA is also a realm where true originals are hard to come by, and Donald Cerrone is nothing if not a one of a kind where the mold he came from was shattered long ago.
When Cerrone‘s name is on the fight card there is a guaranteed show on the way, and his willingness to scrap it out with anyone at anytime has become his legitimate calling card. Yet, somewhere along the lines his love for throwing down not only turned into a lucrative business, but also drove him to coveted ranks of being a title contender in the shark tank that is the UFC’s lightweight division.
He does things his way because it’s the only way he knows how to do it. And judging from the success he’s amassed in and out of the cage, Cerrone‘s methods are working out just fine for him. Competing at the highest level of mixed martial arts is a required grind, but he’ll be damned if he’s not going to take time to enjoy the fruits of what his hard work have brought him.
The 32-year-old Colorado native is a man who will push the limits of nature at every turn, and at the same time is a skilled and technical martial artist who looks to do the same against another man inside of a locked cage. In regard to the age-old saying, “Don’t threaten Cerrone with a good time,” because it’s guaranteed he’s going to make the most out of every experience he dives into.
“Oh we are still having fun brother don’t you worry about that,” Cerrone told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “We are definitely having a good time, but I’m not sure what changed. To be honest I quit taking training and fighting so seriously and went back to living my life and having fun. I try to teach that to all the guys who come out here to train and live with me. It’s important to live life and enjoy the moment.
“People get all caught up thinking they have to train a certain way or take a certain approach to things, but there’s so much more to this than fitting into what other people think you are supposed to do. You have to have fun and enjoy what you are doing, otherwise what is it all worth?
“I see fighters get burned out all the time, but it’s funny to me that people think all I do is drink beer and f–k off all day,” he added. “When it’s time to train we get the work done. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if that weren’t the case. It’s funny to me but people can think whatever they want. I could not care less because I know how much I put into this.”
All the work Cerrone has invested has led him to the pinnacle of what is arguably the most stacked division under the UFC roster, and positioned him within striking distance of a title opportunity. It’s a status he’s reached by putting together the most impressive winning streak of his career as Cerrone has bested seven straight fighters under the bright lights in a variety of fashion. And while he’s certainly no stranger to stringing together lengthy hot streaks, his current run has come against a collection of the best talent currently working in the 155-pound ranks.
That said, the current version of Cerrone is a different animal from days past. While he’s always been that lively scrapper who looks forward to trading leather on a Saturday night, somewhere along the line he felt a shift occur in his mindset toward the fight at hand. Where he was once simply happy to kick, knee, elbow and punch his way to a paycheck, Cerrone has become a dangerous and precise hunter once the cage door closes. That is what he believes is the foundation upon which his current streak is built upon.
“It’s not an easy thing to pinpoint, but I’d say it’s probably been over the past few years when I started believing in myself more,” Cerrone said. “That caused a big shift in the way I see things. When I fought Benson Henderson for the first time or Jamie Varner it was always like, ‘Oh man…I’m in here fighting these guys. Do I really belong here?’ That’s all changed now. My mentality now is that goddammit I’m here and I’m here to do my thing. My mental game has changed tremendously and I see things completely different now. It used to be, ‘Oh man I’m in there with this guy,’ but now that guy is in there with me.”
The next man who will step inside the Octagon with him will bring a different type of aura along with him as Cerrone will face undefeated phenom KhabibNurmagomedov in a highly anticipated bout at UFC 187 on May 23. In addition to the matchup featuring two of the best 155-pound fighters on the planet, the lightweight tilt has garnered additional attention for the trash talk and social media barbs that have been launched from the talented young Dagestani in the lead up to the fight.
While Cerrone admits those taunts would have gotten a rise out of him a few years back, experience and time served in the fight game have given him the tools to allow his opponent’s jabs to roll off his shoulders without a second thought. The reason being: Cerrone knows no matter what 140-character-limited snipes are targeted in his direction, when the time to dance arrives Nurmagomedov will have to back up everything he’s launched across a multitude of platforms.
And therein lies the payoff for Cerrone. With nearly a decade spent in the fight game he’s been involved in nearly every form of feud or grudge match both personal and for the sake of promoting a fight. He knows no matter what is said, the man across the cage will have to back up those words, and this is where he finds comfort in a place where few comforts exist.
“Two or three years ago trying to get under my skin would have worked,” Cerrone said. “I would have been livid with every tweet he sent out. Calling me a drunk Cowboy or this or that would have pissed me off, but now I just laugh it off. I don’t care. He can promote the fight and say whatever he wants, but on May 23 I’m going to see him and he’ll have nowhere to go. They are going to shut the cage door and he’s stuck in there with me.
“Nothing he says will get in my head because I don’t dwell on that s–t. I just laugh it off and keep my focus on the night where it all matters. And I’m ready, man. I can’t tell you just how ready I am.”
Should Cerrone be the first man to mark a loss on Nurmagomedov‘s record at UFC 187, title talk will immediately ramp up in the aftermath. Yet, there is little regard in that department where Cerrone is concerned, which is a rarity in a sport where championship gold seems to be the constant focus of every fighter who straps on the 4 oz. gloves.
And to make it perfectly clear, it’s not that getting his hands on the lightweight strap isn‘t something Cerrone is motivated to achieve, it’s just that it’s not the primary motivation for why he does what he does. In his mind it’s more about the journey and testing himself at all turns than it is about glory or anything associated with reaching the mountain top.
There have been other times over recent years where he’s been close to landing a title opportunity, but for some reason or another, the best version of Cerrone failed to show up on those nights. While there was a sting that undoubtedly lingered, he’s not the type to carry baggage down the trail all too far. He simply gets on to the next thing and goes where the wind takes him. Fortunately for fight fans those winds continue to carry him into action-packed tilts where the best of what Cerrone has to offer will be put on display.
That’s the entire reason he makes the walk into the cage, and the same reason fight fans love to watch him do what he does best. Whether he’s a champion or should remain a perennial contender, Cerrone always shows up to put everything he has on the line.
“I’m not trying to be anything other than the way I was born and raised,” Cerrone said. “I honestly don’t give a s–t. Everyone talks about the title and they all go crazy for that, but the title isn’t my overall goal. I’m going out there to win every fight because nobody walks out there to get a loss. Fortunately, I know that if I keep beating all of the guys they put in front of me then the title is going to come.
“I don’t wake up every morning thinking I have to beat Khabib because I’ll get the title shot. Nah…I don’t give a s–t about that. I’m going out there to beat him because that’s what I always step in there to do.”
Regardless of where his journey ultimately ends up, be it as a champion or a fighter who always strove to give his best, Cerrone has always taken the road less traveled by and it has made all the difference.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has been flexing his Twitter game as of late.
In addition to being one of the fastest-rising talents in the ranks of the UFC lightweight division, the 26-year-old Dagestani has also proved to have chops on social media platforms as…
In addition to being one of the fastest-rising talents in the ranks of the UFC lightweight division, the 26-year-old Dagestani has also proved to have chops on social media platforms as well. English may be a second language to the Russian grappler, but his work within Twitter’s 140 character limit has been truly impressive.
“The Eagle” has used the online forum to take shots, make call-outs and troll fighters up and down the 155-pound ranks, and he kept things rolling in that regard with his upcoming opponent, Donald Cerrone. Nurmagomedov and “Cowboy” are set to collide at UFC 187 on May 23, with the winner figured to get the next shot at Rafael dos Anjos and the lightweight title. There is no love lost between the two fighters, and the AKA representative has used his Twitter account to consistently push the hard-charging striker’s buttons.
The most recent turn in the beef between Nurmagomedov and Cerrone came after the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter celebrated his 32nd birthday. The perennial 155-pound contender received plenty of love on Twitter, and his up-and-coming dance partner apparently didn’t want to miss out on the celebration.
While Nurmagomedov‘s tweet for Cerrone‘s birthday was the most recent barb launched between the two, it was simply one in a collection of many. The rising lightweight star has been relentless with his attacks on Cerrone since the bout was announced, and the former WEC title challenger has admitted his opponent’s trash-talking has gotten under his skin. Nevertheless, Cerrone is adamant he will take those frustrations out on Nurmagomedov during the UFC’s annual Memorial Day weekend show and hand the talented Russian his first professional defeat.
On the other hand, Nurmagomedov is confident things will go his way once the cage door closes. He believes his grappling and pressure will be too much for Cerrone to handle, and he will bring the surging contender’s seven-fight winning streak to an end in Las Vegas.
The best part of this entire ordeal is that there are several more weeks of build-up until the fight finally goes down, which should serve to generate plenty of heat and buzz before their eventual showdown at UFC 187.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, the No. 2-ranked contender in the lightweight division, is set to meet Donald Cerrone at UFC 187 on May 23. A win will likely put him in line as the next title challenger.
Nurmagomedov has all the makings of a champion—both i…
KhabibNurmagomedov, the No. 2-ranked contender in the lightweight division, is set to meet Donald Cerrone at UFC 187 on May 23. A win will likely put him in line as the next title challenger.
Nurmagomedov has all the makings of a champion—both in and out of the cage.
In the cage, he’s perfect with a spotless 22-0 record, with six of those victories coming inside the Octagon. He has dominated his opposition as he’s climbed the ranks of the UFC’s most talent-rich division.
According to his FightMetric stats, Nurmagomedov averages just above seven takedowns per fight. In his last match, against now-champion Rafael dos Anjos, Nurmagomedov landed six takedowns in a decision win. His 35 total takedowns rank sixth in lightweight division history.
His grappling is some of the best in the division because of his relentlessness and tenacity. The American Kickboxing Academy lightweight is only getting better at the top-tier camp and will soon be able to add great striking to his repertoire.
He is already a contender. Once the final piece of the puzzle drops into place, we will be crowning a new champion.
Outside the cage, Nurmagomedov is doing all he can to make himself marketable. He is certainly not bashful. The lightweight contender has even crashed a press conference to try to garner some attention. If not for an injury, Nurmagomedov may have talked himself into the title fight.
On social media, Nurmagomedov has already carved out a niche as one of the best fighters to follow. Bleacher Report’s own Jeremy Botter said he would be the reigning Twitter champion if such a distinction existed.
He’s not wrong.
Nurmagomedov could be a valuable star for the UFC as it continues expanding throughout Europe. His dominance inside the cage makes him even more appealing. The Eagle has yet to lose a round in his UFC career. He ragdolls his opponents furiously from bell-to-bell.
His out-of-cage boasting is that of a champion. There are certainly loudmouths who are doing nothing more than trying to get attention, but Nurmagomedov is the exception. Look down the list of combat sport champions and you will see confident men and women who are not afraid to make waves. Nurmagomedov fits the mold.
He backs up everything he says.
Cerrone is coming off a stellar 2014 campaign, but he is taking on a different animal in two months’ time. Nurmagomedov is one of the toughest opponents, if not the toughest, he will have ever faced. The stylistic matchup also should give Cowboy fits.
The case for Nurmagomedov‘s 2015 title bid will either be closed by Cerrone or get its stamp of approval at UFC 187.
The smart money is on Nurmagomedov to wear 12 pounds of gold by year’s end. Believe what he says—he is not lying. His confidence is bathed in truth, and the proof is in his work. The Eagle is the future of the lightweight division.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, the No. 2-ranked contender in the lightweight division, is set to meet Donald Cerrone at UFC 187 on May 23. A win will likely put him in line as the next title challenger.
Nurmagomedov has all the makings of a champion—both i…
KhabibNurmagomedov, the No. 2-ranked contender in the lightweight division, is set to meet Donald Cerrone at UFC 187 on May 23. A win will likely put him in line as the next title challenger.
Nurmagomedov has all the makings of a champion—both in and out of the cage.
In the cage, he’s perfect with a spotless 22-0 record, with six of those victories coming inside the Octagon. He has dominated his opposition as he’s climbed the ranks of the UFC’s most talent-rich division.
According to his FightMetric stats, Nurmagomedov averages just above seven takedowns per fight. In his last match, against now-champion Rafael dos Anjos, Nurmagomedov landed six takedowns in a decision win. His 35 total takedowns rank sixth in lightweight division history.
His grappling is some of the best in the division because of his relentlessness and tenacity. The American Kickboxing Academy lightweight is only getting better at the top-tier camp and will soon be able to add great striking to his repertoire.
He is already a contender. Once the final piece of the puzzle drops into place, we will be crowning a new champion.
Outside the cage, Nurmagomedov is doing all he can to make himself marketable. He is certainly not bashful. The lightweight contender has even crashed a press conference to try to garner some attention. If not for an injury, Nurmagomedov may have talked himself into the title fight.
On social media, Nurmagomedov has already carved out a niche as one of the best fighters to follow. Bleacher Report’s own Jeremy Botter said he would be the reigning Twitter champion if such a distinction existed.
He’s not wrong.
Nurmagomedov could be a valuable star for the UFC as it continues expanding throughout Europe. His dominance inside the cage makes him even more appealing. The Eagle has yet to lose a round in his UFC career. He ragdolls his opponents furiously from bell-to-bell.
His out-of-cage boasting is that of a champion. There are certainly loudmouths who are doing nothing more than trying to get attention, but Nurmagomedov is the exception. Look down the list of combat sport champions and you will see confident men and women who are not afraid to make waves. Nurmagomedov fits the mold.
He backs up everything he says.
Cerrone is coming off a stellar 2014 campaign, but he is taking on a different animal in two months’ time. Nurmagomedov is one of the toughest opponents, if not the toughest, he will have ever faced. The stylistic matchup also should give Cowboy fits.
The case for Nurmagomedov‘s 2015 title bid will either be closed by Cerrone or get its stamp of approval at UFC 187.
The smart money is on Nurmagomedov to wear 12 pounds of gold by year’s end. Believe what he says—he is not lying. His confidence is bathed in truth, and the proof is in his work. The Eagle is the future of the lightweight division.
In terms of the famous poem by