UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a pair of misdemeanor charges stemming from a drug test at his New Mexico home. The charges, assault and interference with communication, stem from an alleged incident during the testing session in March. Jones appeared virtually in court alongside his attorney, where the pleas were entered on his behalf. An Albuquerque judge granted the attorney’s request for Jones to remain free pending trial.
Jones has adamantly denied the allegations, calling them baseless and claiming he was merely frustrated with the unprofessionalism of one of the testers. He acknowledged using profanity but insists he never threatened, assaulted, or raised his voice to anyone.
This incident occurred as Jones was preparing for a return to the octagon after a three-year hiatus. He had previously won the heavyweight title in a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane, marking his first fight in the heavyweight division. Jones is considered one of the top MMA fighters of all time, having previously dominated the light heavyweight division with a record 14 title fights.
However, Jones’ career has been marred by controversy and drug-related issues. In 2016, he was suspended for a year after failing a drug test. A 2017 victory over Daniel Cormier was later overturned to a no-contest due to another positive drug test. Jones argued that he would have passed under revised standards implemented by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in 2019.
The charges against Jones were initially filed by a woman who worked for Drug Free Sport International, the organization responsible for testing professional athletes. The woman alleged that Jones threatened her, took her phone, and cursed at her during the drug test at his home. Jones, however, insists that he picked up his own phone and apologized for swearing at the woman and her colleague. He released video footage from his home camera system showing the woman giving him a high-five before leaving, suggesting that neither appeared scared during their interaction.
Jones is expected to continue fighting the charges as he prepares for his next fight in the UFC.
