Jon Jones says alcohol derailed greater UFC legacy

Jon Jones believes his Hall of Fame career could have reached even higher heights had he controlled his drinking during his prime years.

The former two-division UFC champion opened up about how partying affected his trajectory in a recent Ring Magazine interview, saying every major setback in his life traced back to alcohol. "I became a little bit of a party boy when I was young," Jones said, per Sherdog. "And sometimes I ask myself, 'Jon, how much farther would you have been if you would have never started with the alcohol?'"

How partying affected Jones's MMA career

Jones captured titles at heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight and heavyweight, compiling a record many consider unbeaten except for a 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill. That defeat came when Jones was dominating before landing an illegal elbow that prompted a stoppage. His fights inside the cage rarely went wrong — his troubles came from run-ins with the law and failed drug tests stemming from his lifestyle outside the Octagon.

"I feel all my setbacks in life have been directly related to alcohol," Jones told the outlet. "And I've been able to achieve some amazing things and reach some pretty amazing heights. But I feel like things could have been even much, much higher if I would have never gotten into partying."

Jones closed the interview with advice for younger fighters looking to avoid the same pitfalls. "So, to all you young athletes out there, you know, just keep things in check," he said.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Jon Jones says alcohol cost him a greater UFC legacy