Jon Jones ripped Chael Sonnen and revealed his disappointment with Dana White in his first extended interview since the UFC 151 debacle.
Jones discussed many topics with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani on Tuesday, including his negative thoughts about Chael Sonnen.
“Chael Sonnen? He’s a punk. He’s a thug,” Jones said. “He calls himself the ‘American Gangster’ and he ratted on all of his friends in the money laundering situation. And he calls himself gangster? That’s not gangster. The guys a straight punk that uses his mouth. He won’t be remembered in history because he loses. People remember in history the winners, not people with big mouths.”
Jones also called Sonnen “irrelevant,” saying, “his mouth is the only gift that he has.”
Jones notably denied the Wrestling Observer report that said he asked Dana White to have Chael Sonnen stop harassing him. He also denied that Dana White told him the entire UFC 151 card would be cancelled if he turned down his fight. That’s contrary to what White told the media on a conference call; he said Jones knew the consequences, so one of them most not be completely telling the truth.
Jones also said he was “hurt” by Dana White ripping him.
“I just thought I meant a lot more to him. I really did. I didn’t really look at him like a boss or anything, I just looked at him like a friend, a business partner and I just thought I meant a lot to the UFC. They made me feel like a piece of meat. Like a total piece of meat. He just completely bashed me out and my coach. It was just terrible man, just terrible. It’s just good to see where I stand with him.”
Jones discussed what it’s like being hated, and he said that happens with some great athletes who make unpopular decisions like LeBron James. He also said he was contemplating turning off the media entirely and just focusing on what really matters — preparing for fights — like many other top fighters.
Jones says he works hard to represent the UFC well and that he has been a good company man with all the media work he does. He found it unfair that he was criticized so heavily for being protective of his legacy and title. While he considered his DWI a regretful event that reflected poorly and him and the company, he believes it was good for him because it was a wake-up call to mature.
Overall, Jones came off well and made some good points in an effort to defend himself and his decisions. But the guy still has moments where he says things that make him extremely unlikable.
Below you can hear the entire interview between Jones and Helwani:
Photo: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE
