Prior to News of His Drug Test Failure, Jon Jones Talks What He Would Be If Not an UFC Fighter, Diversity in MMA

August 23, 2017

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, managing editor and columnist at RESPECT Magazine and host of Scoop B Radio, recently spoke with Jon Jones prior to news of his UFC drug test failure, and below are some interview highlights, along with interview audio in the included player.

As we noted yesterday, news broke the the UFC Champion, who has been vocal about a possible fight against WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, was stripped of his Light Heavyweight Title after failing a drug test related to his UFC 214 fight against Daniel Cormier.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: If you weren’t an MMA fighter and in the UFC what would you do professionally?

Jon Jones: I know it’s not the most popular profession. But, being a cop is cool to me. These guys are here to serve and protect, there the one’s that rescue your mom when you’re not there, help your grandma when she falls down. I look for the good guys in the law enforcement agencies and what they have to offer.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: What influenced this?

Jon Jones: On lunch breaks, a police officer would stand and watch over us during recess,” recounted Jones. “I used to go up to police officers and would talk to them about their career. They used to teach me a lot of life lessons about people and some of the negative things of the world and things I wasn’t aware of and I just found it very fascinating. I made up my mind that I would be like the guy carrying the gun and helping others out. It didn’t happen like that, but I’m glad I chose the path that I chose.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: In baseball you see African Americans like C.C. Sabathia and Curtis Granderson represent MLB well. In MMA there’s you and others. How do you get more diversity in MMA?

Jon Jones: You don’t see a lot of MMA schools in the inner city. You don’t see a lot of MMA schools in the hood. The main start would be to give more black kids opportunities. You have local boxing programs at the local Boys & Girls Club—that’s the way a lot of great boxers got started. You don’t typically see a lot of black males join wrestling teams and wrestling is a great avenue to get into mixed martial arts.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: So how do you change it?

Jon Jones: Us black fighters need to just continue winning and showing what MMA can do for you can just change the minds of young men globally. They’ll see that it’s an avenue for success and they don’t just have to be a basketball player, or a boxer or the next NFL player—they can be the next UFC fighter. They can be the next Rampage, they can be the next Jon ‘Bones’ Jones.

Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.

Nick attended New York University and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Drama.

Nick first entered the internet wrestling community back in 2004 when he became the co-host of The Voice of Wrestling Radio Show. From there, Nick made the transition from radio personality to editor when he began working with WrestleZone in 2008.

Nick is a member of two Off-Broadway theatre companies, Another Urban Riff, and the Drama Desk Award winning Godlight Theatre Company. Nick has appeared in over a dozen Off-Broadway plays since he moved to New York City, and has shot several short and feature length films. In 2010, he completed principle photography on a film titled "How to Score Your Life," which also features TNA Knockout ODB.

Inspiration in his life has come from many people including his family, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson, The Beatles, and of course, Lassie.