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MOORE: Jon Jones and the UFC's consistently inconsistent Code of Conduct policy
Apr 29, 2015 - 11:35:53 AM MOORE: Jon Jones and the UFC's consistently inconsistent Code of Conduct policy

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By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Columnist

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was check my Twitter feed to look for status updates regarding Jon Jones. I expected to see something newsworthy, but I certainly didn't expect to read that Jones is now the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. When news of his involvement in a car accident broke on Sunday evening, like many others I was convinced he wouldn't fight at UFC 187. What I didn't see coming was the UFC taking the moral high ground for once and actually doing the right thing.

If only the UFC had been as harsh on Jones the first time he fell foul of the law. Instead they decided not to punish him at all after he crashed his Bentley GT Continental into a pole back in May of 2012 whilst under the influence of alcohol. Nor did they punish him in any way after he failed a UFC 182 pre-fight drug test for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite found in cocaine. Instead all they did was publicly back him for volunteering to enter a rehab facility (I've been asleep for longer than his subsequent stay).

Let's face it; the UFC treats their Code of Conduct policy with utter disdain. Punishment for those who break it is often decided by how important the fighter is. It's inconsistency at its finest and here are some examples to prove it:

In March of last year the UFC immediately released Will Chope after news broke that he had a domestic violence conviction from an incident that took place five-years previous. There was no reviewing of the facts, he was gone. Chope was in Brazil at the time, set to face Diego Brandao at UFC Fight Night 38. He had even successfully navigated his weigh-in and the fight was hours away. No one gave his rehabilitation a second thought, but it was undoubtedly the right decision. Convicted or not, any fighter associated with a criminal act, violent or otherwise, should be considered bad for business.

Well, that's my opinion on the matter, and for a split second a while back, I actually thought the UFC agreed with me. It turns out, they think the exact opposite. Step forward Anthony Johnson and Thiago Silva, two guys considerably higher up the ladder than Chope. Both were accused of domestic violence related offences, but unlike Chope neither was ever convicted. Luckily for them, their respective alleged victim(s) either dropped the charges, or fled the country.

Johnson was suspended indefinitely when news of his alleged crime broke. That was a good start by the UFC, although it certainly helped that Johnson didn't have a fight booked. Then a few months later, Johnson was reinstated after the alleged victim voluntarily dismissed the complaint only a short time after she had requested and successfully secured a restraining order against the same man. It was all very suspicious, but no conviction in the eyes of the UFC automatically meant he did nothing wrong. Pretty quickly they welcomed Johnson back with open arms.

On a side note, it's rather ironic that Johnson is the one most likely to benefit from the downfall of Jones.

Anyway, I digress. Silva, on the other hand, wasn't suspended when news of his alleged crime broke. No, he was quickly released. What else were they supposed to do after watching nationally broadcasted video footage showing him in an armed stand-off with S.W.A.T officers outside a gym in Florida? Not even the UFC could hide that one under the carpet. However, once Silva's ex (also the alleged victim) upped sticks and left the country, he didn't have a case to answer. Rather than take the ‘let's wait and see how this plays out' approach, the UFC did what they do best and welcomed him back with open arms. Silva's not the biggest star in the UFC, but he sells more tickets than Will Chope so he was apparently worth keeping around.

When Silva's ex then found out he had been re-signed by the UFC, she released video and audio footage that even the UFC admitted had Silva bang to rights. This time the UFC had no alternative but to release him for good. Yes, he sells more tickets than Will Chope, but he's no Jon Jones. They admitted defeat and pretty much denied all prior knowledge after that. Thiago who?

This time at least they did a better job than Jones' incompetent lawyer. They almost got it right. I say almost; because I still haven't heard anyone with authority in the organisation publicly chastise Jones for his actions. Nor have I heard anyone go on record stating their concern for the pregnant woman who was injured in the accident on Sunday morning. All the talk is how they're right behind their superstar money maker. Of course there's nothing wrong with that, but there's a time and a place for it.

Jon Jones isn't a victim.

Jon Jones messed up before, so Nike fired him. Jon Jones messed up again, so Reebok fired him. That is how professionally run companies with a moral compass get things done. Maybe one day the UFC will find that compass, but until that time I won't hold my breath. When the heat has died down on this controversy, expect to see Jon Jones face the winner of Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson. We all know it's going to happen before the end of 2015.

Money talks, and if you make them lots of it, you're safe. If you mess up and you're not a big name, expect to get fired with zero chance of redemption.