Kemo
08-01-2017, 01:25 AM
Many questions were asked of Jon Jones prior to his victory over light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier on Saturday at UFC 214
Jones, who was adamant that he wanted a ‘fresh start’ prior to his comeback bout, has reiterated his vow to do things better this time around.
The youngest UFC champion of all time came extremely close to watching his career go down the pan, managing just one fight since 2015 due to suspensions and the repercussions of his involvement in numerous controversies.
Having answered every question regarding his focus and ability to bounce back with an impressive knockout victory over Cormier on Saturday night, the impression is that Jones is a man on a mission. Despite having taken the UFC light heavyweight title in convincing fashion, the 30-year-old is keen to respect Cormier’s tenure as champion in his absence:
“I’ve always felt that way about Daniel, but it was spontaneous,” Jones said at the UFC 214 post-fight press conference. “I’ve always felt like he’s a pretty classy guy, a guy to be respected. A standup champion, model champion. Unfortunately, I came into this game at a young age with big ideas. Despite how good of a person he is, there’s no mercy in combat and I had to do what I have to do. It’s either me or him. So, what happened happened. But he should be respected. I don’t think he should be questioned, whether he was a true champion or not in my absence.”
Following times where the devotion and respect of his fan base had been stretched to the limits, Jones seemingly has a genuine desire to pay back those who have supported him through his indiscretions. A DUI arrest, a hit and run incident in addition to suspensions for banned substances and a stint in rehab have warranted Jones’ reputation as the bad boy of MMA – this is a title which the supremely gifted Rochester, New York native hopes to “erase”:
“This fight feels like my first championship ever, almost,” Jones said. “Because I feel like I have a new beginning. I went through such a dark period and depression and all these things. And now the light is here at the end of the tunnel and I feel like I’m leaving my past behind me. And I’m erasing everything that I’ve done before. I feel like this is a start to a new career, a new championship. I feel like I want to be a better champion than I was in the past.
“So, I feel like a new champion. This is my time to start all over and to be a better champion and be the champion that the fans deserve.”
Jones, who was adamant that he wanted a ‘fresh start’ prior to his comeback bout, has reiterated his vow to do things better this time around.
The youngest UFC champion of all time came extremely close to watching his career go down the pan, managing just one fight since 2015 due to suspensions and the repercussions of his involvement in numerous controversies.
Having answered every question regarding his focus and ability to bounce back with an impressive knockout victory over Cormier on Saturday night, the impression is that Jones is a man on a mission. Despite having taken the UFC light heavyweight title in convincing fashion, the 30-year-old is keen to respect Cormier’s tenure as champion in his absence:
“I’ve always felt that way about Daniel, but it was spontaneous,” Jones said at the UFC 214 post-fight press conference. “I’ve always felt like he’s a pretty classy guy, a guy to be respected. A standup champion, model champion. Unfortunately, I came into this game at a young age with big ideas. Despite how good of a person he is, there’s no mercy in combat and I had to do what I have to do. It’s either me or him. So, what happened happened. But he should be respected. I don’t think he should be questioned, whether he was a true champion or not in my absence.”
Following times where the devotion and respect of his fan base had been stretched to the limits, Jones seemingly has a genuine desire to pay back those who have supported him through his indiscretions. A DUI arrest, a hit and run incident in addition to suspensions for banned substances and a stint in rehab have warranted Jones’ reputation as the bad boy of MMA – this is a title which the supremely gifted Rochester, New York native hopes to “erase”:
“This fight feels like my first championship ever, almost,” Jones said. “Because I feel like I have a new beginning. I went through such a dark period and depression and all these things. And now the light is here at the end of the tunnel and I feel like I’m leaving my past behind me. And I’m erasing everything that I’ve done before. I feel like this is a start to a new career, a new championship. I feel like I want to be a better champion than I was in the past.
“So, I feel like a new champion. This is my time to start all over and to be a better champion and be the champion that the fans deserve.”