By Kaleb Page
April 30, 2015
Athletes finding themselves in compromising situation and then getting in trouble for their actions.
Let the yawn out now.
It’s essentially a different day but the same story in the world of sports. No matter what the sport may be, there are athletes getting in trouble for breaking the law, PEDs, etc. almost every day.
On Sunday UFC Light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones was involved in a car accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The accident broke a woman’s arm in the vehicle that was struck.
The accident became a bigger issue when Jones left the scene of the accident and from reports he came back to grab to grab a handful of cash and then flee again. When cops searched the car, once they arrived, they found marijuana and a rental car slip linking the car to Jones.
The Albuquerque police placed a warrant out for Jones thereafter. On Monday, Jones turned himself in and faces a felony hit and run charge.
There were some reporters that said Jones should have his title stripped and a suspension placed on the fighter. Especially after a recent positive drug test that showed the fighter had cocaine metabolites in his system and now this incident.
On Tuesday, that exact punishment was dealt out by UFC President Dana White.
This is the first time a fighter in UFC has had their title stripped for conduct outside the octagon. Even though this is unprecedented, I think it is important for them to take the stance they did.
Right now Jones is not in the right place and needs to focus getting himself right before he even thinks of fighting again. I know he is possibly the best fighter right now and has a legacy that grew into what it is.
However, right now he is hurting his legacy with his actions and if he truly wants to be the greatest ever then he needs to become a better person.
A better person in the sense of knowing who he is and bringing himself back to earth a bit. He came on the scene as the freak athlete that learned his way to stardom through watching YouTube videos on the sport. He needs to get back to being the hungry and humble newcomer that rose to the occasion.
While it is tough to keep that mindset when you are anointed the most untouchable guy in the division and are having that type of rise; I think it is important for him to look himself in the mirror and change.
As for now there is trouble at the top and UFC 187 will have a new headliner.
Stepping into Jones’s place is Daniel Cormier. A fighter Jones beat in at UFC 182 and will be an interesting match-up with the powerful striker Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.
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