BEHIND THE SCENES MMA ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS
08/30/2012
Is Jon “Bones” Jones Being Treated Unfairly?
By Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester
There have always been a number of fans who did not jump at the opportunity to be a huge admirer of Jon Jones but it has seemed like recently the numbers have increased. Perhaps it is because of the recent UFC 151 debacle or was it before that, maybe when he got into the car accident because he was driving under the influence? Likely, most can trace the sources all the way back to the beginning of the Jones and Rashad Evans feud. Needless to say, Jon Jones is not liked by the majority of MMA fans right now.
Turning down fights is nothing new in MMA. This happens all of the time for one reason or another, but it is not so often that is put in the spotlight. The media has been eating up the fact that Jon Jones could have saved UFC 151 if he had accepted a fight against Chael Sonnen on short notice. However, very few people are making a big deal that Lyoto Machida – the legitimate and true #1 contender – turned down the fight on short notice as well. Even Shogun Rua was given an opportunity to face Jones again but turned down the fight. In fact there isn’t much mention concerning that at all. It goes to show that there seems to be a little biasness in the MMA community.
Unfairly a great amount of pressure was placed on Jon Jones regarding UFC 151 and the event’s cancellation with Henderson out, and his only obvious options being Machida and Shogun. With those two turning down the fight, Chael Sonnen became a viable option. Very few have admitted that taking a short notice fight against Chael Sonnen is a huge risk for the champion. Top that off with the UFC placing pressure on Jones as well, especially from a financial standpoint, the Light-Heavyweight champion has been boxed into a corner with expectations from not only the fans but from his employers as well.
Perhaps the fans most criticize Jones for what they deem a “holier-than-thou” personality. Jon Jones would call it confidence but most others would call it overconfidence. Rashad Evans called it cockiness in the buildup to UFC 145 and maybe this could be the reason why there were a large number of fans who actually wanted Evans to win his fight against Jones and it’s worth mentioning that it is Evans who is typically not a fan-favorite in his fights.
Confidence or overconfidence, with what Jones has done since he has been a part of the sport just these few short years, maybe the man deserves to have the confidence he has. Doesn’t he deserve to feel a little proud of himself with the achievements he has made in the sport? Jon Jones has a lot going for him right now. A recently signed sponsorship from Nike is among them. But should he be looked upon as self-righteous?
The politics in MMA will never cease; whether it is injuries or turning down fights – these things happen but of course it is the fans that appear to suffer for it the most. At least that is what many people in this community would say. However, with Jon Jones his character seems to have taken another hit because of this recent tribulation and it brings to question whether or not he is being treated unfairly for a situation that could have been avoided in numerous scenarios. After all, he has taken plenty of fights on short notice. Doesn’t he deserve to decline one after a while? Much like in the coliseum of the ancient Roman gladiator days, it is the fans that deem what is fair and what isn’t. It is they who give the thumbs up or the thumbs down.
Follow Christopher “sLapDatSuCKa” Jester on Twitter @sLapDatSuCka
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