Jon Jones thanks justice system for plea deal ahead of UFC 309 return fight
Ahead of his return to the Octagon next month, Jon Jones has reached a plea agreement wth prosecutors to have misdemeanor charges brought against him dropped ahead of his UFC 309 main event fight in New York.
Jones, the current heavyweight champion and a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight champion in the UFC, appeared via virtual link at a bench trial earlier this week in Albuquerque, facing two misdeamenor charges of assault and interference with communications, ultimately reaching a plea deal.
Preparing to fight former two-time undisputed heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden in just weeks’ time at UFC 309, Rochester native, Jones landed in hot water back in March, following an alleged altercation with agents representing UFC partners, Drug-Free Sport International, in which Jon Jones was accused of issuing threats and taking the mobile phone of Crystal Martinez, after an attempt was made to collect a urine sample from him.
Furthermore, during the alleged incident, Jones was accused of smelling like alcohol, and alleged to have told Martinez that people who come to his house “end up dead”, before he “got into her face”.
Jon Jones enters plea deal ahead of UFC 309 title fight return next month
Denying the allegations leveled against him, Jones, a former pound-for-pound number one ranked higher under the banner of the UFC, addressed his plea deal on social media, before revealing his anticipation to fight Miocic in New York next month.
“I would like to extend my thanks to the justice system for reaching a prompt resolution in this matter, which affirms my innocence and enables me to maintain my focus on the upcoming fight,” Jon Jones posted on his official X account. “I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to defend my heavyweight title on November 16th at Madison Square Garden.”
Sidelined from combat sports through injury since March of last year, Jones most recently headlined UFC 286 against former interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane, winning the vacant divisional title with a first round guillotine choke submission win in Las Vegas, Nevada.
