UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones recently received some advice from Chuck Liddell's legendary trainer and owner of The Pit in Arroyo Grande, California, John Hackleman. (Warning: Clicking that link to The Pit might make you want to rave.)
"Bones" might not like what the lauded master had to say.
Speaking with FightHub TV, Hackleman commented on Jones' UFC 172 scrap with another one of his star pupils, Glover Teixeira, and he called out some questionable post-fight social media postings by the reigning champion.
After his destruction of Teixeira, Jones called out fellow UFC 172 combatant Phil Davis and Liddell via Instagram, a point which irked Hackleman.
VIDEO: Jon Jones mocks Phil Davis and Chuck Liddell on Instagram after UFC 172 http://t.co/CZbr9qpGdI pic.twitter.com/U0VmIrrKIX
— Bleacher Report MMA (@BR_MMA) April 29, 2014
While he acknowledged Jones may have a public relations team behind his social postings, Hackleman said if Jones is aware of what's going on and not doing anything to stop it, that's a "douche" move on the champ's part.
"I don’t know, maybe it is his manager or someone in his circle trying to stir the pot or something but that is a douche move," Hackleman said. "... If he knows about it, don’t be a douchebag and do that – take the pictures down, show a little more respect and treat this like a martial art."
Hackleman's comment cut straight to the point and tugs at Jones' integrity a bit, but beyond this, Hackleman remained complimentary of the 26-year-old champion, even dismissing the notion Bones is a dirty fighter.
Jones received criticism after utilizing a traditional Muay Thai stance in the fight, causing several eye pokes as a result. It would have been easy for Hackleman to make a big deal about this and claim it cost his fighter the win, but Hackleman instead said the blame rests on the design of the fighters' gloves, not Jones' technique.
"The eye poke, I think that is the blame on the glove in this fight, there are times when it is blatant but I would not call Jon Jones a dirty fighter because of this past fight, no," Hackleman said.
Oh, and that Chuck Liddell vs. Jon Jones fight that everyone wants to talk about?
It's not happening.
"No, no, NO! Chuck is not fighting again," Hackleman told FightHub TV. "He is not coming back. He is not training for any fights."
Shucks.
And we were all so pumped for this competitive and logical superfight.
