Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has accepted a plea deal with prosecutors in Nevada that has resulted in a domestic violence charge against him being dropped.
The troubled UFC star had been arrested in September following his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing (for his 2013 bout against Alexander Gustaffson at UFC 165). It was alleged Jones had struck his fiancee, and damaged a police vehicle by head-butting it during his arrest.
However, as TMZ was first to report on Thursday, the misdemeanour domestic violence charge against Jones has been dropped. In exchange, Jones entered a no contest plea in regards to a misdemeanour charge of destroying property of another, $25-$250.
Jones has been ordered to “stay out of trouble” and attend anger management counselling.
In the wake of the charges, Jones had promised to stop drinking and essentially clean up his act. However, he was given the boot from Jackson-Wink MMA, his longtime gym, after coach Mike Winkeljohn addressed Jones’ issues on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour.
Although the ban was initially only temporary, Jones and the gym subsequently cut ties, with Jones having a rather public falling out with Winkeljohn.
Jones (26-1, 1NC) last competed in February of 2020, when he defended his light heavyweight title against Dominick Reyes. He relinquished the title later that year, announcing his intent to move up to heavyweight. However, a pay dispute with the UFC saw a potential fight with Francis Ngannou fall through, and Jones has been out of action since.
