Bernalillo County drops Jon Jones’ criminal charges

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) legend Jon Jones is no longer facing criminal charges.

On Sept. 3, 2025, multiple reports confirmed that the UFC’s youngest champion had been cleared of a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident two months ago.

The final verdict came after Bernalillo County in New Mexico dropped all charges against Jones, stating that the defendant’s alibi defense was credible.

In retrospect, police reports confirmed that Jones fled a car crash last Feb. 21, 2025, where a woman was found in the passenger seat heavily intoxicated.

The Albuquerque police also said that the woman lacked clothing from the waist down, and it was Jones who was driving the car that crashed.

The woman involved was then interviewed by the police, and she added that after the crash, Jones called her 13 times and texted her.

However, according to Jones’ lawyer, Christopher Dodd, the UFC superstar was never at the scene of the incident, adding that his client didn’t drive the vehicle that crashed.

Dodd added that the woman inside the car made false allegations against Jones to avoid being arrested by the Albuquerque police.

“I want to begin by thanking the district attorney’s office for carefully reviewing the facts and ultimately vindicating me completely,” Jones wrote on his official X account.

With the recent events, Jones has made a strong case for a UFC comeback fight after teasing fans about a possible inclusion in the upcoming White House event for the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding next year.

“Despite the odds, I’m still training and optimistic about the possibility of being part of the White House event,” Jones said.

Jones and his camp have already initiated his return by re-entering the UFC drug-testing pool, though his official reinstatement remains subject to UFC President Dana White’s approval.

White, however, expressed strong skepticism about Jones’ return in a press release.

“So I already said that I don’t trust him,” White said.

“I don’t talk to him either. I haven’t talked to him at all. If I had to make odds, it’s a billion-to-one that I put Jon Jones on the White House card.”