Jon Jones pleads not guilty to assault, interference

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges Wednesday in Bernalillo County (N.M.) court arraignment Wednesday.

Jones, 36, appeared virtually with attorney Christopher Dodd at the hearing, which was presided over by Judge Brittany Maldonado Malott. Jones pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of assault and interference with communications. MMA Fighting first reported details of the proceeding.

With Jones released on his own recognizance, Malott ruled conditions for his continued release included that he not violate any laws, possess firearms, or consume alcohol or illegal drugs. He must also not contact the case victims.

Jones awaits a bench trial, but no date was set during Wednesday’s hearing.

The charges stemmed from an alleged March 30 altercation with two UFC anti-doping testers from Drug Free Sport International at Jones’ home in Albuquerque. One tester accused Jones of threatening her and taking her phone during a urine sample collection. The worker also said Jones seemed and smelled like he was intoxicated from alcohol.

The worker alleges that Jones put her phone in his pocket, “got into her face,” and said, “Why you f*cking people come so early? Do you know what happens to people who come to my house? They end up dead.”

Jones quickly denied the allegations after reports of the incident surfaced and shared home surveillance video appearing to show a high-five exchange with the worker.

Jones, who turns 37 on July 19, is in the middle of a long layoff as he hasn’t competed since March 2023, when he claimed the vacant UFC heavyweight title with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane. Jones was set to defend his belt against former champ Stipe Miocic last November at UFC 295, but the fight fell off with three weeks to go after Jones tore his pectoral tendon in training.

Jones vs. Miocic is widely expected to be rebooked and headline UFC 309 this November at Madison Square Garden in New York.