Christian UFC Fighter Jon 'Bones' Jones Suspended Indefinitely After Fleeing From Hit And Run Scene, UFC Fighter Michael 'Mayday' Tells Jones Give Jesus Burdens
Jon "Bones" Jones, the Christian UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, was suspended indefinitely from the league Wednesday and stripped of his title after his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident, but the bantamweight division UFC fighter Michael "Mayday" McDonald wants the troubled athlete to know there is still hope in Jesus Christ.
Jones, 27, was arrested after fleeing the scene when his Buick SUV allegedly ran a red light and hit a car belonging to a pregnant woman, causing her to collide with a third car on Sunday in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The fighter who USA Today gave its top rank placement initially fled the scene, while the pregnant woman broke her arm, according to MMA Junkie reports.
According to a police report obtained by CNN, Jones fled the scene but returned to get some cash from his SUV before hopping a fence and running away. Albuquerque police officials reportedly found a marijuana pipe, marijuana and lists "drugs or medication" as a factor contributing to Jones making an illegal turn that caused the accident.
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After car rental papers were found with Jones' information, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was eventually taken into police custody. UFC President Dana White took to "FOX Sports Live" to announce that Jones, with a record of 21-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC, would be suspended from the league indefinitely and stripped of his championship title.
Reebok also issued a statement, dropping its endorsement with Jones, ESPN reports. However, UFC fighter Michael "Mayday" McDonald, took to Twitter to share an important message with his fellow Christian athlete.
McDonald tweeted that he knew how Jones felt to feel empty despite his success, and recalled a time when he hit rock bottom. However, he has found solace in God and a church program called Celebrate Recovery for the past six years.
After detailing his own struggles and path that led him to surredender his life to Jesus Christ, McDonald shared a special message with Jones.
"Jon, if you read this, Jesus is the only one who can fill these empty areas of your heart, brother... I've been where you are," he tweeted. "I've felt the emptiness while you have the world at your disposal... and I've felt the confusion of not knowing why I was still unhappy when I had everything I ever wanted…"
And McDonald offered Jones another perspective.
"Jesus is the only one who will ever be able to fill your heart. He put you where you are, brother... He can make this journey bearable," McDonald wrote. " You just gotta surrender to him, brother. Jesus is strong enough take all your burdens... no matter how much you accomplish, no matter how many records you break, and no matter how many men you walk through... you will always be empty until you allow God to fill the areas of your heart that you look to MMA for."
Jones, who describes himself as a "proud Christian" on Twitter, wrote a message to his fans Tuesday.
"Got a lot of soul searching to do," he tweeted. "Sorry to everyone I've let down."
