Richard Schaefer, Jon Jones' new advisor, admitted that he was shocked by UFC star's arrest last Saturday.
The ex-long-reigning light heavyweight champion was taken into custody in Las Vegas on Friday. He was charged with misdemeanour battery domestic abuse and injuring/tampering in a vehicle.
Jon Jones was taken into custody last month, just hours after being inducted into UFC Hall-of-Fame
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department took Jones, 34, into custody at 5:45 AM, just hours after his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Schaefer, who was involved in negotiations for the long-awaited return of the former pound-for pound king, said to SunSport that "Everything was really going well."
"Everything was perfect when he arrived in Vegas.
"I believe he was great when you see the videos of the night of the hall -of-fame Induction.
He said, "So everything was going well.
"And then, when I woke up the next morning, I woke up to this news, and I was obviously shocked."
After a 11-year relationship ended with First Round Management, Jones hired Schaefer to be his advisor.
Schaefer, after having only positive interactions with his Bones for many years, admits that his client's most recent encounter with the law was a surprise.
He stated that Jon was one of the most genuine, kindest people he had ever met. "So yeah, I was shocked."
Jones, widely considered to be the greatest MMA fighter ever, will appear before the Las Vegas Justice Court on Oct 26.
Schaefer is adamant that judgment should not be handed until the due process has been completed.
He stated, "And now we just have to see how this whole affair is going to play legally before really jumping to judgment."
"And I believe the UFC is adopting that same stance."
"I saw Dana [White] interview yesterday, and he agreed with me in that it is just up to us to see how this whole thing turns out."
"Then we can voice our opinions, and we can do what we like. We just have to look.
"I cannot really talk about it, legally speaking, as you can see."
Jones (26-1-1NC) has not been seen in the Octagon since his controversial UFC 247 fight with Dominick Reyes. He won by unanimous decision.
Bones' absence - which Bones has used to bulk up in preparation for his long-awaited move to heavyweight – was partly due to a pay-row between the UFC brass.
Jones was arrested hours before the latest incident. UFC chief Dana White promised Jones a raise in his 2022 pay.
He stated: "Dana. He guaranteed me that he'd give me an increase in the next fight.
"I believe it will be pay-per view. It's going to be pay-per-view based so I have to work hard and sell the fight.
"I believe that's something I'm not good at in the future.
"You have to look at [Conor] McGregor who is so good at it and talks so much s**t.
"So skilled at marketing and so adept at it. My focus has always been on winning.
"And I believe that when I return as a heavyweight, it will be more legal controversial sh*t so I can possibly sell a little bit more pay-per views."
SunSport reached out to UFC for more comment, but have not received a reply.
