UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is
facing two misdemeanor charges stemming from a confrontation with a
drug-testing agent at his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home earlier
this year.
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According to online records from Bernalillo County Metropolitan
Court, Jones has been charged with assault and interference with
communications. He is scheduled for a virtual bond hearing at 9:15
a.m. local time on Wednesday, where he will enter a plea and be
given conditions for his release. The case will then be set for a
bench trial (trial by judge) in 30 to 45 days. Jones could face
less than one year in jail as well as a $500 fine for the assault
charge and a $1,000 fine for the interference with communications
charge. MMAFighting.com was first to report the
news.
The case stems from an
incident between Jones and agents from Drug Free Sport
International (DFSI), the UFC’s new anti-doping partner. According
to a police report, the drug-testing agent, who was identified as
Crystal Martinez, entered Jones’ home on March 30 to collect a
sample as part of the UFC’s anti-doping program. Martinez alleged
that Jones was cooperative at first but became agitated when he was
unable to initially provide a urine sample. When Martinez suggested
taking a blood sample instead, Jones threatened to sue, took her
phone and began recording Martinez and her co-worker. According to
the report, Jones then put the phone in his pocket and got in
Martinez’s face.
Martinez told police she was “terrified” but elected to continue
with the drug-testing process because she didn’t want to further
anger Jones due to potential penalties from the UFC. Jones was
eventually able to provide a urine sample, and Martinez obtained
her phone during that period. Martinez texted her boss, who was
identified as Pierson Laughlin, regarding her concerns but was
unwilling to talk to Laughlin because she was afraid Jones “would
attack her if he saw her on the phone.”
Jones, meanwhile, responded with a statement of his own where he
denied threatening the agents and said that the encounter ended
“friendly and amicably.” Jones
admitted to police in statement that he was “bothered” by the
arrival of the agents and did use profanity during the sample
collection process. However, he reiterated that he never threatened
anyone during the incident.
Jones, who is recovering from a torn pectoral suffered last year,
is expected to defend his heavyweight title against Stipe
Miocic later this year, likely at a UFC pay-per-view in New
York this November. The UFC ended a partnership with former
anti-doping partner USADA last year, continuing its program with
new anti-doping partner DFSI at the beginning of 2024.