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A hero just eights weeks ago around UFC 126, Jon Jones is feeling the backlash of being on top. The UFC's light heavyweight champ has been battered on the Internet by many fans and MMA media types for backing out a proposed title defense against teammate Rashad Evans.
Jones was expected to have surgery for a recurring hand injury, but that was canceled last week. Between cries that he ducked Evans and that his management is incompetent, Jones has had to deal with a lot of negativity.
"People look at 'Bones' Jones as being like their favorite Power Ranger," Jones told ESPN1100 in Las Vegas. "And their Power Ranger needs to be on because it's Wednesday night. I think people forget that my name is Jonathan Dwight and I'm very human, and I need to make decisions and choices. Sometimes people aren't going to going to get their Power Rangers show when they want it and how they want it."
Surgery was avoided after a final visit for another opinion. That doctor told Jones the surgery was unnecessary and too risky for an athlete of his stature.
Using Twitter, his manager Malki Kawa tried to inform fans and the media about the change in plans. As a result, he's been eviscerated. This from Bloody Elbow's Brent Brookhouse:
Kawa is failing at his job. He is making a fighter who had built up a reputation as an unstoppable wrecking ball appear like he's going out of his way to avoid a fight with a guy who may be "in his head."
It would not have been hard when announcing that he was pulling out of the fight to drop some media friendly soundbites "I want my hand at 100% when I use it to break his jaw" or, at the very least, avoid ever saying that you're choosing a surgery you don't need over a fight.
Kawa is dropping the ball on, what should be, the easiest fighter to sell in the entire sport. It's making for a great example of just how few legitimate sports management types there are in the MMA game at this point.
Headkicklegend's Matt Roth made it even more personal:It would not have been hard when announcing that he was pulling out of the fight to drop some media friendly soundbites "I want my hand at 100% when I use it to break his jaw" or, at the very least, avoid ever saying that you're choosing a surgery you don't need over a fight.
Kawa is dropping the ball on, what should be, the easiest fighter to sell in the entire sport. It's making for a great example of just how few legitimate sports management types there are in the MMA game at this point.
Unfortunately, Kawa is like many MMA managers. Ones who don't understand the sport or the press; only seeing the potential dollar signs they could make if they are successful. As a manager, Kawa isn't just under-qualified, he lacks any qualifications one usually associates to one in a managerial role. Lacking a college degree in any sort of relative field, he doesn't have a keen eye for business or contracts, nor does he have an understanding of proper PR work. He's quickly killing he career of someone who could and should be the face of MMA for the next decade because of incompetence.
UPDATE: Kawa now says Jones is willing to fight Evans in October. One problem, Evans will be putting himself in harm's way in August versus Phil Davis at UFC 133.
The entire interview with Jones can be heard this Friday on ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas at 6 p.m. PT. "The MMA Insiders" radio show will feature Roy Nelson in studio along with Jones and Travis Browne. Listen here.