Jon Jones explains heated traffic incident, claims innocence but does have regrets

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has run into trouble with the law again and wanted to address the fans before the media got a hold of the story.

Jones was recently pulled over by an Albuquerque police officer and given five traffic citations. Jones is seen in the video recorded on the police officer’s body cam visually upset with the officer’s judgement.

Jones was issued tickets for drag racing, an ordinance against a modified exhaust, an illegible license plate, unable to maintain a traffic lane and exhibition driving, according to MMA Fighting.

Jones has claimed his innocence and spoke with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour on Monday to address the incident that was caught on video (transcribed by MMA Fighting).

“I definitely wasn’t drag racing,” Jones said. “I got emotional and said some things that I probably shouldn’t have said to a police officer.”

Jones explained what happened saying that he was at a stop light last week when some fans noticed him in his car. Jones said he didn’t feel like chatting with the fans, but acknowledged them by revving his engine, which they got a kick out of. He said that when the light turned green, he proceeded to drive and was pulled over immediately after.

“I just think this officer in particular was looking for a DWI or something. He was trying to stick with me one of those and once he realized I was sober, I don’t know if he was in a bad mood or whatever, but he was definitely confrontational.

“He needed something to justify pulling me over. He fabricated the whole thing that I was drag racing.”

Jones court date is April 5th while he has another important date on April 23rd as he faces Daniel Cormier in a championship title rematch at UFC 197.