A slightly panicked UFC president, Dana White, was spotted by the press with Jon “Bones” Jones and problem boxer Ryan Garcia.
The boxer and MMA fighter posed for a selfie video together while attending “Noche UFC” at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
When asked what Jones had planned that night, White said that before he was informed of Jones and Garcia’s video, he had been planning to “run free” around Sin City.
“Oh, they’re out tonight? I hope that’s not true,” White told reporters with a laugh.
“Look, John promised me he’d play well tonight while he’s in Vegas, so…” White said, pausing as he pounded the table for good luck.
Troubled boxer Ryan Garcia and controversial mixed martial artist Jon Jones were spotted together last night at the UFC 306 “Noche UFC” event at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
UFC president Dana White let out a nervous chuckle upon hearing about the meeting.
Jones and Garcia are two fighters who have had their fair share of controversy and legal issues in the past.
Garcia’s problems are more recent, involving positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs and run-ins with police.
In June, the NYSAC suspended Garcia for one year after he tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine. The suspension was retroactive to his April 20 majority decision victory over Devin Haney, which was subsequently declared a no contest.
Garcia, 25, also forfeited his winnings (publicly announced at $1.2 million) and paid a $10,000 fine.
About a month later, on July 4th of this year, Garcia was expelled from the WBC by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman after he used racist remarks against black people and a derogatory term for Muslims in comments live-streamed on social media.
Garcia’s family released a statement after the suspension, saying, “Ryan has been open about his struggles with mental health issues for many years, and our family is committed to ensuring and encouraging him to get the help he needs to get through this extremely difficult time and address both his short-term and long-term health conditions.”
Sulaiman said Garcia had repeatedly rejected offers of mental health and substance abuse assistance from the WBC.
Garcia has indicated he intends to enter a rehabilitation facility following his expulsion.
Garcia’s NYSAC suspension comes after he tested positive for drugs following his bout with Devin Haney.
Garcia has been embroiled in a number of controversies this year.
Garcia has had a tumultuous summer, dealing with suspensions, expulsions and a host of controversies.
That included hinting at a move to UFC, and he challenged boxer Sean O’Malley to a fight either inside the Octagon or bare-knuckle.
Garcia was also charged with criminal damage to property for an incident at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills Hotel in early June.
He was charged with a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.
Jones, who is scheduled to defend his heavyweight title at UFC 309, is no stranger to controversy.
He has had run-ins with the law in the past and has tested positive for drugs multiple times.
Jones has also had numerous issues with drug use and the law.
The UFC heavyweight champion previously tested positive for cocaine metabolites, as well as anti-estrogens, aromatase inhibitors and anabolic steroids.
Jones was previously convicted of a hit-and-run in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2015, for which he pleaded guilty to fleeing the scene and was given 18 months’ probation.
In 2021, Jones pleaded not guilty to a domestic violence charge for allegedly hitting his fiancé, Jesse Moses.
In March 2024, Drug Free Sports drug tester Crystal Martinez filed a police report alleging Jones assaulted her and threatened to kill her when she visited her home for a drug test.
Jones pleaded not guilty to the charges and the trial was postponed from July to August, then again to September 26th.
At UFC Noche, it was announced that Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in mid-November.
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