Jon Jones Congratulates College Athletes for NIL Policy Passed by NCAA
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has weighed in on the recent name, image, and likeness policy that the NCAA has put forward; and is happy that college athletes are finally able to earn a paycheck of their own persona.
Jones hasn’t fought in the UFC since early 2020 when he defended his UFC light heavyweight title against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 before vacating the belt to pursue heavyweight aspirations. He was widely expected to compete against Francis Ngannou for the UFC heavyweight title later this year before contract negotiations stalled.
The new policy passed by the NCAA Division I Council allows athletes to make money off their name which includes getting compensated for coaching, making personal appearances, and attempting to make money off autographs and memorabilia. This is a massive milestone in college sports after years of debate and conversation regarding whether or not college athletes should be able to make an income during their time at universities.
“NCAA athletes congratulations,” Jones tweeted. “Happy for you guys, don’t forget about mama.”
Jones spent time at Iowa Central Community College and Morrisville State College before dropping out of school to pursue his MMA career. Many speculate that Jones had the potential to be a Division I-level college wrestler if he opted to go that route.
Jones is in a similar but different situation when it comes to his MMA career and the UFC brass. He has had a plethora of issues when it comes to UFC fighter pay and has hoped to earn a bigger paycheck to move up in weight for his next few fights. As of right now, it remains uncertain whether or not Jones will fight in 2021, and maybe more accurately described as unlikely at this point in time.
Jones continues to put in the work in the gym to build his physique for the next stage of his career, as he hopes to become a two-division champion by the time his tenure in the UFC octagon comes to a close.
What are your thoughts on the new NIL policy in college sports?
