Coach: How we’re all kind of responsible of Jones’ failures

Coach Mike Winkeljohn appeared recently on Ariel Helawabni’s The MMA Hour and discussed the failures of former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones is currently suspended for a year over using a tainted bootleg sexual performance aid.

It’s tough, there’s no doubt about it,” said Winkeljohn, as transcribed by Chuck Mindenhall for MMA Fighting. There’s a lot of disappointing times that Jon’s had in the past, and that in some ways we’re all kind of responsible for, in that we haven’t given him the proper guidance.

But this last one, really it was him just doing childish things. He wasn’t cheating, he wasn’t doing anything that way — I don’t know what the media did to propel it as such. But he’s just not being smart enough and I think they threw him under the bus because of his past problems. They’re looking at him saying, ‘Hey, you should have asked if this drug could have been tainted with anything.’

It’s kind of a slippery slope, because now people are like, okay, you didn’t ask about anything you eat and digest. I know it’s on them, but it’s kinda crazy thing how these guys are tested. And I think now that they know they’re being held accountable, and somebody’s going to be overseeing everything they put in their bodies.

I think that probably I should have yelled at him more often, that type of thing. It’s mostly that he’s made his own bed, there’s no doubt about it. But hopefully we keep talking to him, and I think he’s turned the corner. He knows, and I think he’s driven to better himself and get back to what’s important in life and not just having fun.

It’ll probably be close to the same, because I’ve always tried to be tougher with him. It’s just, like I’ve always said, no one beats Jon Jones but himself. So it won’t change a lot, but I’ll probably be a little tougher with him, yes.

Jones is in the gym, training, particularly his grappling game.

We’re easing our way back into the stand-up stuff as well, and trying to develop his game so that when he comes back he’s better than ever, said Winkeljohn.

I think he’s ready for an immediate title shot when he returns, no doubt. Jon is I think the pound-for-pound best in the sport.