Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ rise to super stardom was certainly meteoric. That being said, UFC President Dana White has come to believe that the former title holder could have achieved more if it were not for a series of career setbacks.
Jon Jones’ only loss as a professional fighter came by means of a disqualification due to illegal elbow strikes, following a brutal beat down of Matt Hamill. Jones quickly made his way to the top of the UFC light heavyweight division, none the less.
The fighter became the youngest UFC champion of all time and a superstar within the sport of mixed martial arts. However, Jones has since had multiple run ins with the law and has failed multiple drug tests.
Jones was stripped of his first UFC title back in 2015, when the fighter was arrested on felony hit-and-run charges. In 2016, Jones failed a drug test that forced the fighter to be pulled from his UFC 200 bout against Daniel Cormier and stripped the fighter of his title once more.
Jones then earned his title back with a knockout victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 in 2017. However, Jones was once again flagged for a failed drug test and was stripped of his title after the victory was overturned to a no contest.
Speaking on the MMA Roasted Podcast, UFC President Dana White offered his thoughts on the situation.
“The whole Jon Jones thing drives me crazy. Honestly, Jon Jones, he’s the greatest of all time, he’s the greatest to ever do it.
“The thing that’s really frustrating is, imagine if this guy tried. Imagine if he tried just a little bit. Just imagine how incredibly amazing he could’ve been. He could’ve been the biggest star ever.
“God knows what he would’ve accomplished in the light heavyweight division and then in the heavyweight division.
“Maybe he would’ve had a title defence record at light heavyweight that would’ve never been broken and the endorsements that he could’ve f***ing… everything that guy could’ve been is unbelievable.”
