Jon Jones says his recent DWI arrest, which occurred in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico in March, has had some very positive affects on his life.
Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, is currently involved in a heated contract dispute with the UFC, and has even floated the idea of taking his services to another fight promotion.
After his DWI arrest, he’s placed renewed focus on keeping himself out of trouble, which he believes will make him that much more appealing to other promotions, should he part ways with the UFC.
“I do believe wholeheartedly that the companies that own Bellator and some of these other leagues do have the same amount of financial backing that the UFC had and I do believe that having Jon Jones be the new face of your promotion, especially today when I’m really making an effort really for the first time to get my sh*t somewhat together,” Jones said on Steve-O’s Wild Ride! podcast (via MMA Fighting). “I do feel good. My last DWI has done a lot for me. It set me free in so many ways. It embarrassed me. It reality checked me. I’ve never been on camera drunk for the public to see like that. It was humiliating and somewhat of a bottom for me and I’m ready to snap it into high gear.”
“I think right now’s a good time for any company to have me for sure,” Jones added. “My goal is to be an asset to any company that I’m a part of. I got a feeling if I am able to get out of my UFC contract, that I would be huge for another company.”
Jones has stated that he’s prepared to sit out multiple years as he attempts to negotiate a better contract with the UFC. While that would mean giving up some of the prime years of his athletic career, he’s been spending a lot of time giving back to his community, and is finding the experience even more rewarding than fighting.
“Right now though, honestly, being involved with the C.A.R.E. project and being detached from the UFC and trolls and all that type of stuff,” Jones said. “This is motivating me way more than a world championship fight. I’ve been winning title fights for so long now, I get what that feels like, I know what the afterparty feels like, I know what it feels like to be called champ and looked at as the greatest fighter forever. I’ve been experiencing these things for so long now that that sh*t doesn’t really tickle me anymore. Changing my life and giving back to other people and having people say thanks for what you did for the city last night and stuff like that, my neighbors look at me like a person that they’re incredibly proud to be neighbors with. That means so much more to me than being a UFC champion and I’m so grateful.”
What do you think of these comments from Jon Jones?