UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has entered a plea of “not guilty” to two misdemeanour charges stemming from an alleged incident involving two anti-doping officers, according to the Bernalillo County Court Public Information Officer.
Jones and his attorney, Christopher Dodd, appeared on Wednesday morning for a bond arraignment hearing at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on misdemeanour charges of assault and interference with communications where the plea was entered.
Following the hearing, Jones was released on his own recognizance with court-imposed conditions that he not violate any laws, possess any dangerous firearms and consume alcohol or illicit drugs. He also must notify the court if he changes his address, maintain contact with his attorney and avoid contact with any of the alleged victims and witnesses in his case.
Crystal Martinez, who conducts drug tests on behalf of Drug Free Sport International, the entity tasked with collecting samples from athletes as part of the UFC’s anti-doping program, told police that she and a co-worker, identified as Jerome Romero in a police report, arrived at Jones’s residence in the late afternoon of March 30 to collect a urine sample from the UFC champion.
According to Martinez’s statement to police, Jones was initially cooperative but then appeared agitated when he was unable to urinate and was offered the opportunity to submit a blood test instead. Martinez said Jones then allegedly asked the agents whether they had money because he planned on suing them and then proceeded to grab Martinez’s phone off the table to record a video of them while repeating that he was going to sue.
Jones subsequently released a statement on his Instagram account, saying that he was frustrated with the “unprofessionalism” of the officers but that the situation “ended friendly and amicably.” He accompanied the statement with security video from his home that shows him exchanging a high-five and fist-bump with Martinez and Romero as they left.
The case will be set for a bench trial in 30-45 days, with a date still to be determined.
Jones earned the UFC heavyweight championship when he defeated Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March of 2023 for the vacant title and has not fought since after suffering a torn pectoral tendon. He already was the best light heavyweight by winning a record 14 title fights.
Jones was suspended for a year in 2016 for a failed drug test and had his 2017 victory over Daniel Cormier turned into a no-contest after another drug test came up positive. Jones argued later that he would have passed under standards that were revised in 2019 by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which changed the criteria for what constituted a positive test.
Jones is expected to face former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic later this year.
— With files from The Associated Press
Jon Jones, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, recently made headlines after entering a plea of not guilty to misdemeanor charges. The charges stem from an incident that occurred in Las Vegas, where Jones was accused of domestic violence and injuring a police officer.
Jones, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, has had a tumultuous career marred by legal troubles and controversies. Despite his success in the octagon, including multiple title defenses and victories over some of the sport’s biggest names, Jones has faced numerous legal issues outside of the cage.
In this latest incident, Jones was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery domestic violence and injuring or tampering with a vehicle. According to reports, Jones allegedly got into an altercation with his girlfriend and then fled the scene before police arrived. When officers attempted to apprehend him, Jones reportedly became combative and injured one of the officers.
Jones has maintained his innocence and has vowed to fight the charges in court. His legal team has argued that the allegations against him are false and that he is being unfairly targeted due to his celebrity status. Jones has also expressed remorse for the incident and has stated that he is committed to making amends and moving forward.
Despite the legal troubles that have plagued his career, Jones remains one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC. His unique blend of striking, wrestling, and submission skills has made him a formidable opponent for anyone in the heavyweight division. Jones has faced and defeated some of the best fighters in the world, including Daniel Cormier, Alexander Gustafsson, and Thiago Santos.
As the legal proceedings continue, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see how this latest chapter in Jones’ career unfolds. Whether he is able to overcome these legal challenges and continue his reign as UFC heavyweight champion remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, however – Jon Jones is a fighter both inside and outside of the cage, and he will not back down from a challenge.