That adage about never kicking a man when he's down? Yeah, well ... Israel Adesanya doesn't abide by it.
The UFC middleweight champion blasted Jon Jones on social media immediately after learning of the light heavyweight champ's latest arrest two weeks ago.
However, Adesanya, like Jones' other rival, Daniel Cormier, says he actually feels bad for the embattled "Bones."
“He’s a young black man at the top of his game and he’s throwing it all away,” Adesanya told ESPN about Jones on Tuesday. “A lot of what DC said, same thing. Like, I felt bad for him when I watched the body cam footage as well. At the end, when he was just sobbing, I felt bad for him. Because I can imagine myself in that position.
"And I even bet you in the back of the squad car, he’s thinking, ‘F—, Israel’s gonna have a lot of material with this one,’" he continued. "I bet you. I swear to God. But, like I said, a lot of it’s never going to see the light of day because it’s funny for me but at the same time I feel sad to see a young, black, skinny [expletive] who wishes he had the career at the beginning like I am right now, and he’s just throwing it all away.
"So, I’ve taken lessons from watching a guy like him pave the way, if you will, and I won’t repeat the same mistakes. I’ll make my own ... sex tape dropping 2020! Get ready.”
Before that last joke, Adesanya's pointed reaction derived from Jones being arrested March 26 in Albuquerque, N.M., for aggravated DWI and negligent use of a deadly weapon. The 32-year-old later pleaded guilty to DWI and avoided jail time. As part of his agreement with prosecutors, Jones will be subject to 96 consecutive hours of house arrest and one year of supervised probation. He'll also be required to complete a minimum 90-day outpatient therapy, which he'll be allowed to do via video conferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 48 hours of community service and pay a $500 fine.
In the Octagon, Jones has compiled a 26-1 (1 no-contest) record and is widely regarded as the greatest MMA fighter of all time. Outside of the Octagon, Jones has proven to be his own worst enemy, with self-inflicted legal troubles.
Adesanya and Jones have jabbed at each other on social media and in interviews, leading many to believe that they're on a collision course to an eventual mega fight.