‘Wild’ Jones hopes for tamer second act as UFC champion
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jon Jones is once again the UFC light heavyweight champion of the world.
He believes it’s his shot at redemption.
“I think I’ll make a conscious effort to just do better,” he said late Saturday night after winning back the title by knocking out Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 214 at Honda Center. “I think I’m also much more aware of who I am and the responsibility that comes with being a UFC champion.”
UFC president Dana White is among the growing contingent that believe Jones is the greatest mixed martial artist in history. His actions outside the cage joneshaven’t lived up to the same standard. From a DUI in upstate New York to testing positive for cocaine and suspensions for a USADA violation and a hit-and-run incident in New Mexico that caused him to be stripped of his title in 2015, Jones has built quite a resume.
“I truly believe Jon Jones is the best to ever do it,” White said. “Had he not had the things go wrong in his personal life and gone through all the layoffs and issues in his personal life, God knows who he would have beat and what he would have accomplished by now. I believe he’s the best and he looked incredible (on Saturday).”
Jones believes he is still improving as a fighter. The fact he insists he has his personal life under control only adds to his potential.
“I feel like the best is yet to come for me,” Jones said. “I feel I’m in my mental and physical prime and the best is ahead of me. That should be real scary for the rest of the division.”
It should probably concern the heavyweights, as well. Jones challenged former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar to come back from professional wrestling once again for what could be a massive UFC event.
He was serious about it, too. Jones said he has talked to his camp, both the business side and the sport side, and decided it’s his best option for his next fight. A potential heavyweight title run could come down the road.
For now, he will concentrate on a second light heavyweight title reign and continuing to stay out of trouble.
“I don’t want to sit up here and make promises that I’m going to be a saint, because I’m a wild (expletive) at the end of the day,” Jones said. “But I think I can make a conscious effort to make better decisions and I think that’s enough.
“Life is a day-by-day thing. You just have to make good decisions in each situation one day at a time and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Jones, 30, first captured the belt when he was 23. He has said in the past he just wasn’t ready for all the fame and fortune that came his way at such a young age. Jones is excited for the second chance at being champion.
“In a way it feels like my first championship ever because I feel like it’s a new beginning,” he said. “I went through such a dark period with depression and everything else and now there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like I’m leaving my past behind me and I’m erasing everything I’ve ever done. It’s the start of a new career and a new championship reign. I want to be a better champion than I was in the past and be the champion the fans deserve.”
That also appears to include burying the hatchet with his fiercest rival and biggest challenger. Jones and Cormier have had a nasty, vitriolic relationship over the years and Jones had taunted him after winning the first fight, even mocking the fact Cormier had cried.
Cormier broke down again on Saturday, but Jones wasn’t laughing. He praised Cormier as an outstanding role model and solid citizen who was a good caretaker for the belt while Jones was out of action.
“I’ve always felt like he’s a pretty classy guy,” Jones said. “He’s got to be respected. He’s a model champion. I don’t think he should ever be questioned whether he was a true champion or not in my absence. He fought two of the hardest guys in the division and he won those fights and he carried himself like a champion.”
Jones now hopes to do the same.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.
