For Jon Jones, winning fights inside the Octagon was a relatively straightforward task, as he ended his UFC career with the heavyweight championship belt still around his waist. However, his most arduous battle unfolded outside the cage, where he struggled to overcome his inner demons, a fight that ultimately plunged him into depression. 

During a conversation on ALF Global, ‘Bones’ revealed that his 15-month UFC suspension in 2017 after testing positive for Turinabol, along with the loss of his mother, took a devastating toll on his mental health. It led him into a deep depression that prompted him to contemplate suicide. ushing him into deep depression.

“Man, I went through a time in my life when everything was going wrong,” Jone Jones confessed. “I had gotten suspended from the UFC. My mom had died. I got accused of using steroids. Then two of my dogs died, all within maybe a quarter of a year. Man, I just hit an all-time low. I felt like I wanted my life to be over.

“My mom was the person I would always confide in, and when she died, for a moment, I really felt like I was alone on this planet. My mom was the one who always took the time to listen to me on an emotional level. Without her, I just felt like I was done with life.”

However, as he was about to go through with it, an unexpected FaceTime call from one of his longtime friends stopped him before he could do something bad.

“One day, I was crying. I was very depressed, and I had a pistol next to me,” he added. “I was sitting there crying for a while when I got a FaceTime call from a friend I hadn’t spoken to in a very long time.

“He immediately asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ I started crying on the phone with him. We both cried, and I don’t really remember exactly how the conversation went. But I woke up a few hours later, and I was just okay. I was just okay.”

For the former UFC champion, it was an incredibly difficult period. The same year he tested positive for Turinabol, his mother, Camille Jones, passed away due to complications related to diabetes. Thankfully, the support of his friend helped ‘Bones’ find some solace during one of the toughest phases of his life, and a good cry eventually helped bring him out of the depression he had found himself in.

While Jon Jones did not reveal the identity of the friend whose conversation ultimately pulled him out, the call came at a moment when the former champion needed it most. Perhaps because of that conversation, the Rochester native was able to continue with his career and eventually made a remarkable comeback.

This isn’t the first time ‘Bones’ has opened up about his battle with depression. During an interview with Joe Rogan on his podcast back in 2016, Jones revealed that he became deeply “depressed” after the UFC stripped him of his light heavyweight title following the hit-and-run case. However, the 39-year-old said he rediscovered his motivation after watching Daniel Cormier and the late Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson compete for the vacant 205 lbs belt at UFC 187.

In a later interview with Ariel Helwani during his time at ESPN, Jon Jones disclosed that he sought professional help from counselors and psychiatrists to cope with the trauma after enrolling in a trauma treatment facility after his mother died.

Still, when it comes to candid admissions about mental health, Jones is far from the only fighter to have shared such a story.

Surging middleweight contender Joe Pyfer, after his victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC Seattle, opened up about battling depression, revealing that it had pushed him to the brink of self-harm. However, Pyfer managed to overcome those thoughts and continued fighting, much like Jones did.

The former two-division champion also recently delivered some encouraging news to his fans, suggesting that a comeback may still be on the cards.

Jon Jones leaves the door open for a possible UFC comeback

Last year, Dana White announced during UFC Baku that Jon Jones had officially retired, automatically elevating then-interim champion Tom Aspinall to the undisputed heavyweight titleholder. However, ‘Bones’ remained retired only briefly, as he reversed his decision after the UFC revealed its plans for a White House card. Jones pushed hard for a showdown with Alex Pereira until the very end, but the UFC CEO ultimately shut down the idea.

The conflicting interests between Jones and White created a rift that appeared unlikely to heal anytime soon. The former two-division champion even expressed his willingness to leave the UFC to face Francis Ngannou under the banner of Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. At one point, it seemed Jones’ relationship with the promotion had deteriorated beyond repair. However, he surprised everyone by revealing that he still has not completely ruled out a comeback.  

“When it comes to me actually fighting anyone, I just keep the door open,” Jones told Ring Magazine. “I’m still in the UFC’s drug testing pool. I get drug tested, blood tested all the time.”

Jones did not specify the circumstances under which he would consider a UFC comeback, although it is clear that a lucrative fight would likely be his priority. Dana White also responded to his former champion’s comeback plans, though he did not appear particularly enthusiastic. While the UFC CEO did not say it outright, Jones being 39 years old and the absence of a long-term plan could prompt the promotion to take a more cautious approach in any potential negotiations.

Whether Jon Jones ever returns to the Octagon remains uncertain. For now, one can only hope that he continues to overcome his mental health struggles and finds lasting peace.