Ex-UFC champ with own liquor reveals Jon Jones’ influence at bar changed his lifestyle

Former UFC 135-pound champ Aljamain Sterling took his cue from Jon Jones to have a partying lifestyle and yet achieve greatness.

Ex-UFC champ with own liquor reveals Jon Jones’ influence at bar changed his lifestyle

Jon Jones was testament to Aljamain Sterling for doing it all in the UFC (Source: IMAGO/X)

UFC heavyweight Jon Jones is revered in combat sports by many as an all-time best. It’s not just his fighting acumen that put him there. His victory over multiple generation of fighters, and holding the championship strap remains crucial as well. Been there, done it all, ‘Bones’ is often one to look to for pre-fight guidance. That is exactly what transpired for Aljamain Sterling.

Jon Jones and his excessive vices of alcohol and partying are well known. But he still maintains his infamy, boiling it down just to pre-fight mindset. Jones is even fresh off a vicious third-round TKO win atop the UFC 309 PPV. He even carefully dissected and defeated the best-ever heavyweight to do it, Stipe Miocic in the process. Hence, when he was starting out, Aljamain Sterling took Jones’ example to heart.

[When I got started] I’m thinking I have to live a life of a monk and I got super disciplined, …And then I see [Jones] at the bar… and he offered me a drink. I’m like, ‘No, I have a fight in 5 weeks.’ [He said], ‘You’re fighting in [whole] 5 weeks!’ …Then I realized it all came down to mentality. If you believe that one drink is going to ruin your entire training camp, maybe you just…

Aljamain Sterling via his Official YT Channel (@FunkMasterUFC)

It’s not just Jon Jones he looks to in this matter. Sterling recently dumbed down a former rival’s decision to turn around his life. Aljamain Sterling cited the example of Bones and even new blood, Carlos Prates. The Brazil standout is a proper breakout story touting four POTN fight bonuses. The fight fan club would know Brazil’s Prates as the chain smoker and avid partygoer that he is.

Additionally, Uniondale, NY native Aljo himself recently released his ‘Funk Harbor’ aged rum to celebrate his Jamaican roots. So, a drink or two might be on the shelf anyway. The former bantamweight king is now a successful 145-pounder and is scouting bigger opportunities. As for Jones, what lies ahead is unification or a legacy retirement.

Jon Jones once had surprising take on rival Tom Aspinall before all the unification drama

Nowadays, the combat sports fan base knows Tom Aspinall as the man who took the division by storm. He also subbed in for the UFC 295 PPV card when Jon Jones was out on a pectoral injury and won the interim title. Ever since, the British heavyweight has put the undisputed champ on notice, wanting title unification.

Jon Jones is yet to announce a UFC heavyweight unification
Jon Jones is yet to announce a UFC heavyweight unification (Source: X)

Aspinall even made a rare interim defense with a first-round TKO of Curtis Blaydes in a Manchester PPV last July. While fight fans eagerly await an Aspinall vs. Jon Jones announcement, the rivalry between the pair wasn’t always so palpable. In fact, Jones was looking forward to the Brit powerhouse when he got the interim belt. Other than Sean O’Malley, Aspinall’s future in the division interested him.

I think he has the potential to do something really special in the heavyweight division. I think he’s going to be hard for the majority of guys to beat, I really do believe that…

Jon Jones on ‘Overdogs Podcast with Mike Perry’ (@Overdogspod)

It turns out he was correct and Aspinall would go on to dominate most in the division. It is what has made an Aspinall vs. Jones super fight such a needed commodity. Many in the sports fandom want to see if Jones can hold out against him and if the Brit is as good as the advertisement. However, there’s no concrete word yet on a heavyweight title unification.

Related: Jon Jones ‘small flex’ backfires as newly crowned Magomed Ankalaev digs up dirty past