Jon Jones was charged with fleeing the scene of an accident by a US court just days before retiring from the UFC. The surprise announcement was made by Dana White in an explosive press conference on Saturday night. Jones had been widely tipped to face Tom Aspinall in a heavyweight showdown but the American decided against it, instead opting to hang up his gloves.
It means Aspinall will become the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion with Jones no longer active. Earlier this week, he called White and other officials to explain that he would not be fighting again. He will leave a lasting legacy as one of the greatest icons the UFC has ever seen, winning 28 of his 29 professional bouts.
Just days before confirming his retirement, Jones was charged with fleeing the scene of a car accident in the US state of New Mexico. Court records show the alleged incident, which caused no great bodily harm or death, took place in late February.
The police report states that a woman was found in the passenger seat of one of the cars involved in the accident. The report adds that she was ‘exhibiting signs of significant intoxication and lacking clothing from the waist down’.
The woman is said to have told police that Jones was the driver before calling the UFC icon. A police aide said the person on the phone, who they believed to be Jones, ‘made statements implying his capacity to employ lethal force through third parties’.
Jones did not directly identify himself during the phone call, in which he allegedly made ‘allusions to violence’. Police also claimed that he ‘appeared to be heavily intoxicated’ during the conversation.
In a police interview, Jones said the woman found in the car was intoxicated when she left his house earlier that day. He claimed that she phoned him immediately after the crash and that he ended up speaking to a police officer.
Jones said the officer ‘immediately opened the conversation with unprofessional language, which led him to doubt the legitimacy of the individual’s claim’.
The woman, meanwhile, claimed that she drank alcohol and took mushrooms at Jones’ house, adding that her ‘next recollection was being at the scene of a traffic accident’.
The bombshell news arrived on the same day Jones confirmed that he would be retiring from the UFC, with the 37-year-old posting an emotional statement on X (formerly Twitter).
He wrote: “This decision comes after a lot of reflection and I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the journey I’ve experienced over the years.
“Becoming the youngest UFC champion in history, defending my title against some of the best fighters in the world, and sharing unforgettable moments with fans across the globe, these are memories I’ll cherish forever.
“I’ve faced incredible highs and some tough lows, but every challenge has taught me something valuable and made me stronger, both as a fighter and as a person.”