When I interviewed Jon “Bones” Jones for Respect Mag in August 2017, he was riding a complex wave of redemption. He had just defeated Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 to reclaim his Light Heavyweight title (a result later overturned), and he was opening up about his life outside the cage. During our talk, he dropped a bombshell that, in hindsight, is one of the most ironic statements in MMA history: “If I wasn’t a UFC fighter, I’d be a police officer.”
Standing here in December 2025, as Jones prepares to finally close the book on his legendary and volatile career, that quote feels like the ultimate “What If.” It highlights the duality of a man who studied Criminal Justice and idolized law enforcement, yet spent a decade locked in a headline-grabbing cycle of legal battles with the very people he once dreamed of joining.
The Criminal Justice Major
In 2017, Jones spoke about his deep respect for the badge. “I know it’s not the most popular profession, but being a cop is cool to me,” he told me. He viewed officers as the “good guys” who rescue grandmas and protect the vulnerable. Having studied Criminal Justice at Iowa Central Community College, Jon wasn’t just talking—he had the academic foundation to pursue the career before his wrestling pedigree led him to the Octagon.
The irony, as I noted in my 2017 coverage, was that Jones had already had several highly publicized “run-ins” with Albuquerque police by that point. He was a man who wanted to be the law, yet frequently found himself on the wrong side of it.
2025 Vision: The Anatomy of a Dual Identity
By late 2025, the “Jones Legacy” has been solidified as arguably the greatest in MMA history, but it is inextricably linked to his legal rap sheet. His career functions like a championship-level hierarchy of talent and turmoil:
- The MVPs (The High IQ Strategist): Inside the cage, Jones has a “Police Detective” level of analytical thinking. He decodes opponents’ movements with surgical precision. In 2025, we see this in his Heavyweight run, where he dismantled elite competition with the cold efficiency of a tactical unit.
- The Snipers (The “Interstate” Incidents): Outside the cage, Jones’ history with traffic stops and hit-and-runs has become the stuff of legend. From the 2015 hit-and-run to the 2021 Las Vegas arrest, the “Police Officer” dream was replaced by a reality of bodycam footage and legal settlements.
- The Defensive Anchors (The Resilience): Despite the controversies, Jones’ ability to return and dominate—even in 2025—is an “anchor” of resilience. He has survived more “career-ending” incidents than any athlete in history, maintaining his status as the GOAT through sheer force of will.
The “Good Cop, Bad Cop” Narrative
What made my 2017 interview so vital was that it humanized the “villain” of MMA. Jon didn’t see himself as a criminal; he saw himself as a man who failed his own high standards for what a citizen should be. He told me he looked for the “good guys” in law enforcement because that’s who he wanted to be.
In 2025, as he navigates his final days as an active fighter, Jones’ story is a masterclass in the complexity of human nature. He is a man with the “heart of a protector” and the “instincts of a predator.” While he never donned the blue uniform, he certainly policed the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions with an iron fist for nearly two decades.
The Final Scoop: The Law of the Octagon
Revisiting this story is a reminder that the path we choose isn’t always the one we were “meant” for. Jon Jones might have been a great officer in another life, but in this one, he became the ultimate test for the law.
“I wanted to serve and protect,” he told me. In 2025, he has served his time and protected his legacy. He may have never received a badge, but he certainly made sure everyone in the Octagon knew who was in charge.
