Photo by Damon Martin

Jon Jones Reveals His Biggest Regret Inside or Outside the Cage

Jon Jones talks about his biggest regret over the course of his career, which has been filled with plenty of highs and also numerous lows.

Over the course of his career, Jon Jones has celebrated the highest highs and suffered through the lowest lows possible for a fighter.

Inside the cage, Jones is arguably the greatest fighter to ever compete in mixed martial arts both from his incredible skill set as well as his ridiculous resume filled with champions and future Hall of Fame candidates.

Unfortunately, Jones’ career has also been marred by numerous incidents outside the cage including two separate suspensions for violations of the UFC’s anti-doping policy as well as arrests for DUI and a hit and run accident that easily could have landed him serious jail time.

Now Jones is just about four weeks away from his return to action at UFC 232 where he will look to reclaim the light heavyweight championship against Alexander Gustafsson, who gave him the toughest test of his career to date.

Ahead of the fight, Jones admitted that he definitely has regrets about some of the decisions he’s made during his career but there’s one incident that stands out above all the rest.

“My biggest regret out of everything, if we’re to talk about public things, that the general public would know about, it was hitting the pregnant woman in that hit and run car accident four years ago,” Jones revealed when speaking to ESPN. “Even though it was four years ago, it is something — everyone has a mother, everyone has a wife or sister — and that was one of the worst situations I’ve ever been a part of. Had no clue it was a pregnant woman. Had no clue it was a woman. I just knew that I felt like it was a fender bender type of thing. Obviously, it wasn’t a fender bender but I wasn’t hurt, I felt fine and I assumed the person I hit was fine as well.

“Hairline fracture in the woman’s arm and she was a pregnant woman. Just a terrible, terrible situation. Being a father of daughters, being a fiancé and being a person who loves his mother dearly, hurting a woman is terrible. That’s probably one of the few things I would totally take back if I could.”

Jones was arrested following the hit-and-run accident and ultimately pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident where he received 18 months probation.

The incident also earned him a lengthy suspension from the UFC and it cost him the light heavyweight title as well.

Jones isn’t exactly haunted by the accident because years have passed since it happened and he faced penalties in both criminal and civil court for his actions. Still, Jones says if there was one thing he could change during his career, that would be it.

“I don’t think about it at all, not these days,” Jones confessed. “It was like four years ago, hairline fracture four years ago. Girl made almost a million dollars off the situation. I’m sure her life’s been changed forever and I’m not making it OK but to be real life goes on. The girl’s life goes on, the baby’s healthy and it happened.”

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Damon Martin is a veteran mixed martial arts journalist who has been covering the industry since 2003 with bylines on FOX Sports, CNN, Bleacher Report and numerous other outlets.