“He Means a Lot to Me”: When New UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones Was Flattered by a Rare Alex Rodriguez Interaction

Over the years of his playing career and even after, Alex Rodriguez has shared a very topsy-turvy relationship with his fans. It started with them addressing A-Rod as the greatest slugger in the history of the sport, only until his steroid scandal overtook his popularity. The final few years of A-Rod’s playing career were filled with fan hostility, and amidst this, he once shared spaces with another controversial star from UFC, Jon Jones.

Back in 2013, A-Rod and Jones, the two excessively polarizing figures from MLB and UFC, met when the latter was preparing to throw the first pitch at a Yankees-Blue Jays game. Despite their larger public opinion inclining toward dislike, Jones uttered multiple words of praise for the steroid-stained Alex Rodriguez.

Alex Rodriguez once received kind words from Jon Jones before his first pitch

The UFC heavyweight champion lay aside his MMA gloves and got into shape for his first pitch at the game. While his pitching skills were revealed to be questionable, if not completely absent, he shared a moment with Alex Rodriguez.

When the duo met, Jones greeted A-Rod by saying, “What’s going on my man? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Following this, the pair engaged in some banter, before Jones added long words of praise for A-Rod.

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He said, “I got to meet Alex Rodriguez tonight, which was so cool. He was so humble, just an awesome guy. Just shake hands with him, have a good conversation. Had a meaningful conversation with him. He means a lot to me. I’m really nervous, just hope to do well. I’m excited for it.”

What is the infamous commonality between Jones and A-Rod?

Both Alex Rodriguez and Jon Jones have faced bans from the MLB and UFC, respectively, for their consumption of banned substances. A-Rod, after a long trial, faced a ban in 2014 for consuming PEDs through his tenure with the Texas Rangers. Jones, on the other hand, didn’t participate in the UFC through 2017 and almost the entirety of 2018.

What do you think about this uncanny encounter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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