Matt Mitrione is taking a different tone toward Jon Jones than what he’s expressed in the past following the UFC champ’s latest run-in with the law.
Mitrione (13-7 MMA, 4-2 BMMA), a former UFC heavyweight who now fights for Bellator, had quite the heated online exchange with “Bones” back in October 2016. Seemingly out of nowhere, Mitrione went after Jones on Twitter and called him a “great talent with a God complex,” among other personal digs.
After Jones was arrested and subsequently charged this past month for DWI, the door was open for Mitrione to pile on. There were certainly many others who did, but Mitrione said he didn’t feel it was appropriate to mock Jones.
“I can tell you that it’s more pity than anything else,” Mitrione told MMA Junkie. “He’s so good and just can’t get out of his own way. I feel bad for his family, I feel bad for his kids, I feel bad for the stress that dude causes himself and his family. That’s it. I do my best not to be a straight jackass because I don’t want to embarrass my kids when they go to school. I can’t imagine being his kids or his long-term girlfriend. It’s perpetual.”
In the days since his arrest, Jones had pled guilty to a DWI charge as part of a plea agreement that will allow him to avoid jail time. Jones is required to endure one year of supervised probation, among other things, and has admitted he needs to work on his “unhealthy relationship” with alcohol.
Despite a history of legal mishaps, it appeared as though Jones was turning a corner for the better in 2020. The incident, of course, skews that perspective for many, including Mitrione.
Jones is considered by many to be among the greatest MMA fighters of all time. However, Mitrione said he can’t help but wonder where his place in history would be if he kept his head on straight.
“The whole thing with Jon is truly unfortunate,” Mitrione said. “He’s the best mixed martial artist of our time. I don’t think there’s really a conversation – (Daniel) Cormier might be. Jon Jones is very, very good and it’s a shame he cannot get out of his own way to be great. Given his body of work at 205 and heavyweight, I think Cormier takes the cake (as the GOAT). I just feel like Jon Jones could be something so much better than what he is, but in that same kind of perspective, it makes you wonder how much he ever (took it serious).
“You hear these stories that he trained two weeks for (Alexander) Gustafsson and would go so hard five, six, two days, one day before his fights. It really makes you wonder how much time and effort he put in to be as incredibly good as he is, if he were focused and didn’t give it away, what he would be capable of doing. I could only imagine how great he would be. I can’t even imagine it.”
Despite past Jon Jones beef, Matt Mitrione feels 'pity more than anything' after recent incident