Jon Jones says he is ‘a bad guy that’s trying to be good’

During the Thursday media day for UFC 239, things got deep for Jon Jones.

Jones (24-1) has experienced many trials and tribulations in his personal life and career. Media day surprisingly provided the perfect opportunity for him to shed light on the ramifications his behaviour has had.

“I think I’m known for a lot of good things I’ve done and a lot of bad things I’ve done,” Jones told the assembled media (via MMA Junkie).

There are many moments throughout the years that have caught the attention of both fans and law enforcement. In 2012, Jones plead guilty to a DUI after crashing his Bentley into a pole. In 2015, he was involved in a hit and run incident where a pregnant woman was injured. He has also failed drug tests for banned substances including a cocaine metabolite and turinabol. He has shown remorse for these incidents, but other fighters have questioned his authenticity. 

While Jon Jones has previously assured he’s not a bad person, he took a slightly different position at media day, admitting he’s a bad guy trying to do better:

“I think I am a bad guy that’s trying to be good,” he said. “Just because religiously, we are all sinners. We are born into sin, it’s our nature to sin. It’s a decision to try to do the right thing. It’s a decision to do the right thing when no one is looking. So, I think all of us as humans: none of us are s**t, and it’s our choice to be try and be more than. I’d say I’d lean closer to being an imperfect human that is trying to do the right things.”

Jon Jones is a day away from a fight against Thiago “Marreta” Santos. The fight headlines UFC 239 inside the T-Mobile Arena this Saturday. Jones has remained victorious since an overturned verdict against Daniel Cormier and a controversial bout in 2009 which he was disqualified from. He is looking forward to a fight free of controversy and is confident he will beat Santos.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 7/5/2019.