Perhaps Jon Jones sees a kindred spirit in soon-to-be MMA rookie Greg Hardy.
On Wednesday, the UFC interim champion responded to a fan on Twitter who said they'd love to see Jones rough the ex-NFLer up. Jones instead expressed his support for Hardy in a tweet that was later deleted:
@Deadspin Jon Jones on Greg Hardy. Tweeted then deleted. pic.twitter.com/Vfvi51k1HR
— SAoBrennan (@sean_a_brennan) October 13, 2016
The 28-year-old Hardy is reportedly embarking on an MMA career following a five-year stint in the NFL playing for the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys.
In 2014, Hardy was arrested and charged in a domestic violence incident involving his then-girlfriend. The case received widespread media attention due to the ugly details that emerged, and the league's perceived lackadaisical attitude toward the charges in comparison to other players involved in similar cases.
Jones is no stranger to controversy himself. He tested positive for cocaine in January 2015, was stripped of a UFC title the following April for his involvement in a hit-and-run incident, and is currently on temporary suspension stemming from a July USADA violation.
That latter infraction removed him from UFC 200 just three days before he was scheduled to fight in the main event on that card. He's currently working to appeal the results of that test.
Related: Jay Glazer: Greg Hardy should be denied 'privilege' of learning MMA
