Jon Jones, one of the most well-known fighters in the world, believes his UFC peer Matt Mitrione is “a scumbag” after the hateful comments Mitrione made about transgender MMA fighter Fallon Fox earlier this month.
“I think he’s terrible for that,” Jones said Thursday at UFC media day at Madison Square Garden. “It’s ridiculous. I think that Fallon Fox, that’s a strong person. What the person has been through in their life, that’s a strong person. I’m a fan of that person because of what they’ve gone through and what they’re willing to go through.”
Mitrione was suspended and fined by the UFC for his remarks on MMAFighting.com’s “The MMA Hour,” the worst of which was calling Fox “a lying, sick, sociopathic, disgusting freak.” But his suspension lasted just two weeks – Mitrione was booked for a fight in July on Wednesday.
“The organization finds Mr. Mitrione’s comments offensive and wholly unacceptable and — as a direct result of this significant breach of the UFC’s code of conduct — Mr. Mitrione’s UFC contract has been suspended and the incident is being investigated,” the UFC said in a statement.
Fox, who competes for small Florida organization Championship Fighting Alliance, was born a man, but underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2006 and has had hormone therapy to assist the transition from male to female. Biologically, the 36-year-old Fox is a female and would be allowed to compete in other sports as such.
She is 2-0 as a professional MMA fighter and has been in the news because her license was being reviewed by the Florida State Boxing Commission to determine whether or not she’d be able to continue competing against women in CFA. Fox, who didn’t disclose that she was transgender initially, has since been cleared to fight.
Other high-profile UFC fighters have also come out against her, though not with the controversial words of Mitrione.
“She can try hormones, chop her pecker off, but it’s still the same bone structure a man has,” UFC women’s champion Ronda Rousey told The Post earlier this month. “It’s an advantage. I don’t think it’s fair.”
Jones says he doesn’t know enough about the situation to determine whether or not it’s fair – he’s never seen Fox fight, he said. But Jones says he’s “a big supporter” of her anyway.
“I just respect people who are brave enough to be themselves, brave enough to stand out and say, ‘Yes, I’m different – deal with it,’” Jones said.
Jones, the youngest champion in UFC history when he won the light heavyweight title at 23 years old in 2011, defends his belt against Chael Sonnen on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark. Jones has thought about moving up to heavyweight, Mitrione’s weight class, but he wouldn’t fight Mitrione, because “he’s not worthy.”
“He’s a scumbag,” Jones said. “I don’t care if he never fights again. He’s a ridiculous person.”
mraimondi@nypost.com
