Anthony Smith and Jon Jones may have a history together, but Smith still sympathizes with what his past opponent is going through.
MMA Fighting confirmed earlier this week that Jones has been charged with two misdemeanor counts following an incident with a drug tester in March. The reigning heavyweight champion is charged with assault, misdemeanor battery and interference with communications.
Jones appeared at an online hearing on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On his podcast I believe in you Alongside Michael Bisping, Smith shared his thoughts on the situation and the possibility of an out-of-court settlement.
“I don't know, maybe they'll just let him write some checks to those two testers and keep his job,” Smith said.
If convicted of both charges, Jones could face a total of less than one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,500.
Smith challenged Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 235 in March 2019 but lost by unanimous decision.
Smith has had 23 fights with UFC and understands how the drug testing policy works, especially with UFC's past partnership with USADA. Smith feels he has generally been lucky with the agents he has worked with, but he has also encountered agents who were unprofessional.
“I defended him at first because drug testing is such a hassle,” Smith says. “Luckily, my drug testers have always been very calm. They respect your time and the inconvenience they're causing you. So they always just show up like, 'Hey, I know this isn't a good time right now, sorry, let's just take a sample and get out of here.'”
“But I've met people like that. I've met them before. You just go out somewhere, not here or Denver, and you find a stranger, someone you've never met before. And they can be a jerk. They have a hunger for power, they have some kind of power over you, like they want to order you around or berate you.
“If he gets into a bad situation, I can understand his feelings. He's a bit short-tempered sometimes, so I can understand him getting angry. Apparently he was partying, I think he was drinking and had some friends over. They came and started being obnoxious and rude at times. I can understand him getting angry. But if he starts touching people and taking their phones, then that's a problem. But if [they’re] “If people feel bad for him, that's his right. It's not illegal.”
