UFC Champ Jon Jones charged with DUI after accident

USA Today is reporting that Light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones crashed his Bentley into a telephone pole when he was driving while intoxicated early Saturday morning. No injuries were reported at the scene, so Jones should still be on track to defend his title against Dan Henderson, at UFC 151 on September 1 in Las Vegas.

MMAweekly.com confirmed this with Malki Kawa, Jones’ manager, who said: “I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time.” Additionally, MMAWeekly secured a comment from Dana White who said: “It hasn’t been my week, has it?”, in reference to the Jones incident and White’s syrgery on Thursday for Meinier’s disease.

Last month USA Today quoted Jones in an interview prior to his victory over Rashad Evans at UFC 145 as saying: “We came up with a strategy to keep it clean and be sponsored by the UFC itself. I’m glad the UFC wanted to work with me as well, and I think that they trust that I’ll never make them look bad. You never have to worry about me with a DWI (driving while under the influence) or doing something crazy.”

While Jones is not the first professional athelete to be arrested for DUI, he is perhaps the highest profiled fighter in the UFC to be so charged.