UFC fighter Jon Jones is scheduled to defend his light heavyweight title against Anthony Johnson in the main event of UFC 187 on May 23, and Johnson on his Facebook page posted that he has "yet to hear of any plans to scrap the fight from the UFC" following Jones' arrest yesterday for an alleged hit-and-run, according to Adam Hill of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. Despite "multiple Internet reports claiming the fight had been canceled, UFC officials had not made an announcement" as of last night. UFC "issued a statement Sunday night, declining further comment while the process is ongoing." Jones last night "turned himself in" to Albuquerque police after an arrest warrant "was issued for leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injuries Sunday morning" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/28). In Albuquerque, Rick Nathanson reports Jones is "charged with leaving the scene of a traffic accident Sunday in which his rented SUV hit another vehicle driven by an unidentified pregnant woman in her 20s." The woman "suffered a broken arm, an injury that elevated the crime from a misdemeanor to a felony." The SUV Jones was believed to have been driving "allegedly ran a red light." One witness said that they "saw the male driver of the SUV run from the scene on foot, then suddenly return and grab a large handful of cash from the SUV before fleeing again." Albuquerque police found inside the car "Jon Jones MMA sports memorabilia, a pipe with marijuana in it and rental paperwork showing Jones’ wife had rented the vehicle" (ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, 4/28).
HEAVY IS THE CROWN: Jones earlier this year tested positive for cocaine, and YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote this has been a "disturbing pattern in Jones' behavior." UFC "owes him no ... due process, and should immediately strip him of its championship and pull him" from UFC 187. It is a "privilege, not a right, to hold the belt and Jones long ago violated that privilege" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/27). FS1's Ariel Helwani said of Jones, "If they find that he did do this, he's got to accept responsibility and there's got to be some kind of punishment. It seems like he's kind of getting off with some of these things. He needs to be held accountable. I also think that something needs to be done for his career. As far as the UFC goes, I don't know if it's stripping him of the title -- that's what I would like to see -- and maybe six months off, maybe even a year off from competing. At the end of the day, he needs to take care of his own issues." UFC fighter Rashad Evans said, "He does need to take some time away from the sport because fighting is a privilege. ... It is not a right. When you start to forget that you are privileged by being able to compete, that is when you need to have a sit-down, that's when you take a break and that's when you need to have consequences that equal more than a slap on the wrist" ("UFC Tonight," FS1, 4/27).
