History dictates that Jon Jones' DUI arrest in Binghamton, N.Y., on May 19 will not have a significantly adverse impact on his UFC career.
According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Jones, 24, ran his 2012 Bentley Continental GT into a telephone pole at the intersection of Helen St. and Grand Blvd.
The report adds that he was charged with driving under the influence, paid an appearance bond and was released to family. There is no report of whether Jones, who lives in Ithaca, N.Y., was injured.
In the past, the UFC has been extremely forgiving of athletes who were arrested for minor incidents similar to Jones'.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was involved in an accident in Southern California in 2008 and was charged with hit-and-run driving, felony evading and reckless driving.
Chris Leben was arrested in Hawaii in mid-2010 on suspicion of driving under the influence, and Spencer Fisher was arrested for a minor traffic incident later that year.
For all three men, their arrests were insignificant blips on the radar, and quickly forgiven by UFC brass.
Jackson went on to knockout Wanderlei Silva just five months after his arrest, while Leben used the arrest to turn his life around and focus on training harder than he ever did before.
Fisher also made a successful return to the octagon following his arrest, as he fought three times in the UFC since Oct. of 2010.
UFC President Dana White even gave second chances to athletes who failed drug and steroid tests, as Chael Sonnen, Melvin Guillard, Nick Diaz and Thiago Silva are just some of the many who successfully bounced back from negative test results.
The only thing that White doesn't tolerate is a lack of performance in the octagon, as Kalib Starnes was famously cut from the league after his disgraceful performance in 2008 during his tilt with Nate Quarry.
By all accounts, Jon Jones' scheduled fight at UFC 51 on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas will still go on as planned.
As long as Jones delivers with a vintage performance, the public will be more than willing to put his DUI arrest in the past.
How will Jon Jones' DUI arrest affect his public image? Let me know in the comments.
Eric Holden is a lifelong UFC fan and supporter of the sport of mixed martial arts. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
