Video: Jon Jones shuts down vandalism during protests in Albuquerque

Jon Jones had quite the memorable day on Sunday.

As the day began, Jones told the world he was going to vacate the UFC light heavyweight title. Right before it ended, he took to the streets of Albuquerque, N.M. to do his part against those trying to vandalize the city in the wake of a Minneapolis police officer taking the life of George Floyd.

In an Instagram video posted from his Instagram account, Jones is shown walking around the downtown area demanding that people hand over their spray cans.

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Is this shit even about George Floyd anymore?!? Why the fuck are you punk ass teenagers destroying our cities!?? As a young black man trust me I’m frustrated as well but this is not the way, we are starting to make a bad situation worse. If you really got love for your city (505), protect your shit. All you old heads need to speak up, call your young family members and tell them to come home tonight.

A post shared by Jon Bones Jones (@jonnybones) on May 31, 2020 at 10:48pm PDT

The protests began peacefully on Sunday before turning violent overnight. Local news station KRQE reported that protestors began smashing windows of local businesses and started lighting fires in the middle of Central and 3rd Street.

Members of the Albuquerque Police Department arrived on the scene in riot gear, and on horseback, to attempt to block off streets and restore peace in the area.

Jones spoke with KRQE and urged residents to stay home.

“We live here, we all live here and that’s just what doesn’t make sense,” Jones said. “We live here, we’ve got to go eat at these same restaurants tomorrow, we have to take our kids for a walk and see the inappropriate gestures and words written all over the walls.”

“Bones” is in the middle of a heated battle with the UFC and Dana White in regards to booking a heavyweight clash with Francis Ngannou. White has claimed that Jones asked for “Deontay Wilder money” for the fight to take place—upwards of $30 million—while the 32-year-old refutes those claims.

Sources told MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin that Jones is “serious” about vacating the title. In fact, the Jackson Wink MMA star suggested the UFC book a fight between Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz for the vacant 205-pound title.