The story of Jon Jones finding himself in trouble, or being the center of it, remains all too familiar in 2026. Amid his ongoing tensions with the UFC over his absence from the Freedom 250 card and a public spat with Dana White regarding contractual negotiations, retirement from MMA, and a reported $15 million payday, the former two-division champion has now been linked to yet another road incident.
The situation unfolded on Saturday, when a video posted by Instagram user @bryanbeltran went viral. In the clip, the 19-year-old is seen involved in a heated verbal exchange with Jones. The incident reportedly took place in Albuquerque, Jones’ hometown, where Beltran claimed he was nearly struck multiple times by a truck driven by the UFC legend, alleging he was thrice and even flipped over.
In the video, the driver can be heard shouting, “What, bro? Trying to get into? You’re almost fucking hitting me, bro,” as Jones exited his vehicle and approached. With his left hand in his pocket, Jones walked toward Beltran, who accused him of erratic driving.
“You’ve got to calm down, bro,” Jones said, to which the driver responded with, “Bro, you’ve got to learn how to drive.” Jones advised the man to be calm, but Beltran continued, “You’re almost hitting me with your truck, bro. You’re almost hitting me, bro, what the fuck. In my fucking lane and shit, bro, come on.”
The exchange ended with Jones giving the middle finger to the camera before returning to his truck. Beltran also alleged that Jones was armed during the encounter. In the caption accompanying the video, Beltran detailed his version of events.
He wrote, “Driving up Central Close to Eubank, when I was almost hit three times by the truck, even after I revved my car at him the first time. It almost happened, he still almost hit me twice after that, so I flipped him off, then he proceeded to stop in the middle of the road, back up, and come into the same parking lot.”
He later added that he did not initially recognize Jones but realized who he was afterward. While stating he held no hard feelings, Beltran still suggested the fighter should consider taking driving lessons. Meanwhile, Jones pushed back against the narrative, sharing his side on X.
He said, “This kid proceeded to chase my car down for two blocks, revving his engine and trying to intimidate me. I am glad this happened to me and not one of the senior citizens in our community. I am proud of myself for standing up for myself and not allowing that kind of bullying or intimidation.”
This kid proceeded to chase my car down for two blocks, revving his engine and trying to intimidate me. I am glad this happened to me and not one of the senior citizens in our community. I am proud of myself for standing up for myself and not allowing that kind of bullying or… https://t.co/kEd5ejCQ2q
— Jonny Meat (@JonnyBones) April 5, 2026
While the full context of the encounter remains unclear, the incident adds to Jones’ long-standing history of issues outside the Octagon, particularly involving vehicles. In April 2015, he was involved in a hit-and-run incident after crashing into a car driven by a pregnant woman and fleeing the scene. The fallout led to him being stripped of his UFC light heavyweight title and suspended for six months.
Apart from this, Jones has also faced legal trouble for driving under the influence in 2012 and driving while intoxicated in 2020, along with a reported accusation of fleeing a traffic accident in February 2025, further cementing a controversial pattern that continues to follow one of MMA’s most accomplished yet polarizing figures.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.