UFC star Jones fights crime before Rua
Hours before Jon Jones became the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion Saturday night, he played the part of real-life superhero on the streets of New Jersey.
In Paterson, N.J., Jones and his trainers chased down and detained a man who had apparently broken into the car of an elderly couple. Jones applied mixed martial arts tactics to hold the suspect, and police soon took the man into custody.
"I just felt really good after that," the 23-year-old Jones said. "I’ve got the hard work and dedication and now I’ve got karma on my side."
The karma — and the adrenaline burst — carried over into the cage in Newark, where Jones put on an epic performance against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, winning by third-round knockout at UFC 128.
The street incident occurred during Jones’ customary prefight meditation. On fight days he seeks out a peaceful place to meditate with trainers Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn. On Saturday, that place was a tranquil waterfall near a shady neighborhood in Paterson.
Instead of peace, Jones found a more chaotic scene than any he has encountered in the Octagon. As the group was being dropped off, it saw the elderly couple in pursuit of the suspect.
Jackson and Winklejohn set off after the man, and Jones discarded his iPod and cell phone and joined them.
Using his "gazelle legs," Jones passed his trainers and was about to catch the suspect when the man tripped and fell. Jones applied what amounted to a figure-four leg lock, and Jackson locked in a modified armbar until the police arrived.
Jones, whose father is a minister, used the wait time to lecture the man on his devious ways.
UFC president Dana White spoke glowingly of the fighter’s performance in and out of the cage, though he said he would prefer the organization’s newest superstar save his crime-fighting for days he doesn’t have a fight.
"The only thing left for him to do is deliver a baby on his way out of here," White said after the fight. "I don’t know what else this guy can do in a day. Wow!"
Jones will talk about his memorable day with Jay Leno on Thursday, when he becomes the first UFC fighter to appear on "The Tonight Show."
■ MORE JONES — Not long ago, Jones insisted he would never fight his friend and teammate Rashad Evans. But after Jones’ victory Saturday, there was Evans, the former light heavyweight champion, entering the cage to be announced as the first challenger to Jones’ title.
They are no longer teammates at Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque, N.M., with Evans deciding to move on. In a Twitter post, Evans blamed Jackson, saying the trainer "decided to bring Jones on board a while back against my wishes. I decided 2 leave Greg because I felt like he didn’t have my best interest anymore. Greg is not the same coach he use 2 b."
The first indication of dissension came last week when Jones indicated in an interview he wouldn’t turn down any fights the UFC offered him, apparently opening the door to fighting Evans.
■ ‘CRO COP’ FINISHED? — Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic is likely through in UFC after the former Pride Fighting champion suffered a second consecutive knockout loss Saturday to Brendan Schaub.
"I have a lot of respect for Mirko Cro Cop, but I’d have to say this was the last time we’ve seen him fight in the UFC," White said.
"At his age and (with) the wars he’s been in, to see him get in there with these heavyweights that are bigger, stronger and younger than he is and still hold his own, it’s a testament to what a great fighter that guy was in his prime."
■ ‘TUF’ 13 FINALE — The UFC officially announced June 4 as the date and the Palms as the site of the Season 13 finale of "The Ultimate Fighter." The event features the season title bout and a main event between lightweight contenders Anthony Pettis and Clay Guida. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.
