Arthur Jones, the older brother of former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, tragically passed away recently after suffering a medical emergency. Arthur, who had a pre-existing heart condition, reportedly had his pacemaker go off at around 11 a.m., alerting his doctor and prompting an emergency response. Responders, however, arrived too late, and Jones was pronounced dead at his home in Syracuse, New York.

The Baltimore Ravens confirmed his passing last Friday. Yet, Jon Jones stayed silent in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy but later shared a heartfelt statement on social media, announcing details of his brother’s funeral service to honor his life. The ceremony is scheduled to take place today in Binghamton, New York. In the meantime, Jones also offered three touching pieces of advice to his nephew.

Jon Jones congratulates 15-year-old nephew

Following in his father’s footsteps, 15-year-old Arthur Jones IV plays as a sophomore defensive lineman for Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in Syracuse, New York. Recently, CBA faced off against Shaker High School and secured a 28-21 victory. After the game, Jon Jones took to his Instagram story to share a heartfelt message for his nephew, writing, “Keep making us proud Art.”

He also posted a photo of himself leaning over the bleachers to shake his nephew’s hand, who had presumably played in the game. The caption read, “Congratulations to my nephew Arthur Ⅳ and the team! Wishing y’all the best as you chase that state championship!” Jones later followed up with three pieces of advice for his nephew to succeed. “Stay focused, stay humble, and finish strong,” he wrote, wrapping up his message with encouragement and pride.

Notably, this comes just ahead of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Football State Championships. This is the annual postseason event for public high schools across New York, held at the JMA Wireless Dome on the Syracuse University campus. Regardless, as Jones is reeling from his loss, he has been called out by Alex Pereira for a fight at heavyweight.

Daniel Cormier talks about Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones

After reclaiming his UFC light heavyweight title with an 80-second TKO over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, ‘Poatan’ called out Jones for a potential showdown next June. And Daniel Cormier thinks Alex Pereira could separate himself from every other fighter in UFC history if he manages to beat Jon Jones.

“The big fight matters to these dudes,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “If he went to beat Jon Jones at heavyweight, Alex Pereira… would literally cement himself to almost stand above everyone because he would have beaten a former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, and a guy many consider the greatest of all time.”

Cormier also questioned Pereira’s decision to chase Jones instead of a third UFC belt, adding, “Against Tom Aspinall or Ciryl Gane, Pereira might be the underdog, but beating Jon Jones brings a different kind of value.”

Having said that, while Jon Jones recovers from the tragedy in his personal life, there’s plenty of action waiting for him in the Octagon. However, only time will tell what the future holds for tw of the greatest fighters in the UFC. What do you make of all this?