What is it exactly that constitutes
being a champion? Is it simply having the skills to defeat all of your rivals?
Some would say that winning alone is enough to have one dubbed a champion.
Others however, may disagree and say that with the role of champion one takes
on certain unspoken responsibilities. Not only must a champion win, he/she must
also be an exceptional human being. Some say a champion must also be kind and
respectful, disciplined and honorable, honest and responsible. Essentially one
may say that the same qualities that must reside in a champion are alike the
ones that must reside in a leader. After all that is what a champion is isn’t it?
They are the “leaders” in their respective areas. They have a unique position
of power similar to many other types of leaders. With their position they can
inspire and motivate people, they can educate and be role models for people;
all of which is what would seem to be what we expect of a champion.
That is not to say that one couldn't do
the opposite. A “champion” could be irresponsible, dishonest, unfair and vulgar;
while that may not seem to be what we expect of such an individual it is yet a
fact that they do carry the title. But after all what are titles? They are
artificial constructs of language that guide our perception, but when our
understanding of such a thing contradicts its definition (in this instance it
would be in regards to a wrong doing champion) that individual simply is not
what their title dictates. Perhaps the biggest topic in MMA as of late has been
the arrest of the former light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones. While
Jones has unquestionably been one of the most dominant fighters in UFC history,
he simply has not been able to fill the “unspoken requirements” that we had
mentioned earlier. Realistically speaking Jon Jones has displayed quite the
opposite of what is expected of a champion.
He has been caught in the past for taking
an illegal narcotic, that drug being cocaine. Taking any sort of narcotic drug
in and of itself is uncharacteristic of any professional athlete that is
serious about their career and their training. What does it say about Jon Jones
when he is titled as the champion, the one who is supposed to be the best and
setting a proper example as to why when he has been taking an illegal drug like
cocaine? It can certainly not be anything to his credit. Even more recently Jon
Jones has been charged with a felony in a hit and run involving himself and a
pregnant woman whom was injured in the accident. He fled the scene of an
accident in which he harmed another needless to say she was pregnant! If
honesty and responsibility are qualities that we believe reside in a champion
then obviously Jon Jones can not be a champion.
That is certainly the way that the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) has seen it. The organization has concluded that Jon “Bones” Jones has been stripped of his title and suspended from competition indefinitely. This is only just, and not to mention the possibly and likely jail time that the former “champion” (if he can be called that) will face for his recklessness. This outcome could have been predicted, given the prior behavior of Jones. He may have been one of the most skilled while in the cage, but outside he was no champion and the record is now set straight. One can only slip up so many times; he was never a champion, just a thug with a title.
One of our coaches Kyle Cerminara said it best on Facebook:
