Ngannou Comes To Jones’ Defense, Reminds Everyone They Aren’t Perfect

David Berding-USA TODAY Sports

With so much extra time to kill the combat community responded in full force earlier this week when news leaked that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested for DWI.

Given Jones’ turbulent track record, not only with law enforcement but also UFC drug testing, most fighters didn’t take kindly to the champ abusing his own COVID-19 quarantine declaration in favor of some Recuerdo and a quick drive.

Other fighters, however, lent some support to the reigning pound-for-pound king. First, UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko reached out to fight fans via social media to let them know Jones is a “kind and noble” champ (Dillon Danis eventually nipped those kind words in the bud). Next, Chael Sonnen offered his support for Jones after reviewing the body cam footage and seeing that the UFC fighter may have been “humiliated” by the arresting officers.

Now, UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou is taking to social media to send a message to “Bones” during this difficult time. Ngannou, who has lobbied to fight Jones at heavyweight in the past, wished the champion the best in his ongoing road to redemption.

“It’s funny to sit back and see how people are going crazy about Jon Jones,” wrote Ngannou via Twitter. “Obviously he needs to get his shit together. I’m not defending him but people shouldn’t throw stones like we are all perfect. I hope this guy gets back to where he needs to be – entertaining the world.”

At this point, we all just want Jones to clean up his act and make an honest effort outside of the cage. But if the UFC champion continues to screw up when given second and third chances to prove he is a changed man then everybody’s patience will run thin.

That looks to be the case this time around as most bashed Jones when his DWI arrest was made public. Shevchenko, Sonnen, and now Ngannou seem to be in a league of their own.