Jones Admits Loss Of Nike Sponsorship Wasn’t The Result Of Brawl
Following the UFC Ultimate Media Day brawl between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, news surfaced that Jon Jones was no longer sponsored by Nike.
Many believed that the departure from the popular sporting brand was a result of the brawl, something Jones reaffirmed to the NSAC commission in the hearing regarding the brawl.
He divulged on the UFC 182 media conference call earlier today.
“When I was in front of the commission, I definitely worded it wrong. Nike did not drop me because of that fight and I kind of owe an apology to Nike for saying they dropped me because of the fight. They actually didn’t. Nike has been known to support its athletes through much worse things than a brawl in the middle of MGM [Grand].”
“I said, ‘You know what, if you guys aren’t too serious about martial arts, then I don’t want to be a part of the company.’ Hopefully, I can respectfully leave.”
Jones said that the company did release him from his contract, and the split was already official before the brawl.
“It was already official. Everybody at headquarters knew. My team knew that I wasn’t gonna do my third year with Nike. And then we got into the brawl.”
“The truth of the matter is, I did not get dropped by Nike. It was a mutual thing, something we had discussed months before the actual fight.”
“These guys are taking mixed martial arts very seriously. They’re taking me very seriously as an athlete.”
Given that Jones was under oath at the time when he testified that he was dropped from Nike after the brawl, it will be interesting to see what happens going forward.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available!
– via MMAFighting
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