Jon Jones made history in 2011 when he became the youngest champion in the history of the UFC at the age of just 23.
From that moment, it seemed like the sky was the limit for the talented athlete, but his journey has been far from smooth sailing. Over the years, he has experienced a mix of impressive wins and equally surprising personal struggles.
As Jon Jones prepares to make his return to the Octagon after a three-year hiatus, we revisited one wholesome moment that showed a side of Jones that’s rarely seen.
When we talk about Jon Jones, it’s all about the PED scandals, the USADA loopholes and of course the atrocious behavior toward women. Each of these incidentes is scathing but there’s another side of Jones that’s not widely publicized.
Sometime in 2021, after an extended break from UFC, he decided to make a disabled kid’s dream come true in an impromptu sparring session.
Jones can be seen entering the duel with a serious low stance that likely comes from his wrestling roots. He’s quick to get fully up as a kid approaches him ready to compete against him.
He takes it seriously and measures distance with his arms giving the kid a glimpse what it’s like to spar one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
The kid is clearly super enthusiastic about the experience and taking it seriously. He is content to combat Jones, grips and keeps stripping them off.
He then engages Jones in an exchange of knees and a clinch. The kid clearly trains MMA and is a huge fan because some of these moves take quite a bit to execute.
He even tries to go for a single leg on Jones, which he then rebuffs. It’s apparent how much of a fan of Jon Jones the kid is, because the moves of the kid closely mirror Jon Jones before he even attempts them.
It’s easy to criticize Jones’ complex legacy and effect he’s had on the world of mixed martial arts as a whole but this unique moment gave us a glimpse of Jones we wish we could see more often.
Previously Sean O’Malley made headlines for a similar kind gesture. These gestures are important to remember in a sport that’s very antagonistic and features a lot of complicated and even criminal incidents.