Jon Jones trial postponed by a month after officer unable to attend

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones will have to wait another month or more before his trial in a New Mexico court.

The court trial was scheduled for Thursday in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Jones and his attorney Christopher Dodd participated in the hearing virtually, as did the alleged victim in the case, Crystal Martinez.

Judge Asra I. Elliott extended the trial until Sept. 26 after receiving late notice that the officer who responded to the alleged incident involving Jones was unable to attend due to a police call.

Jones, 37, is charged with misdemeanor assault and interference with communications. He had previously pleaded not guilty to both counts.

The charges stem from an alleged altercation on March 30 with two UFC Drug Free Sport International doping control officers at Jones’ Albuquerque home. Martinez, one of the doping control officers, accused Jones of threatening her and taking her phone while she was taking a urine sample. The employee also said Jones looked and smelled like he was intoxicated with alcohol.

The employee claims Jones put her phone in his pocket, “punched her in the face” and said, “Why are you here so early? You know what happens to people who come to my house? They end up dead.”

Jones quickly denied the allegations after reports of the incident surfaced and shared home surveillance video appearing to show him exchanging high fives with the worker.

Jones, 37, is in the midst of an extended rest period. He hasn’t fought since March 2023, when he won the vacant UFC heavyweight title by submitting Ciryl Gane in the first round. Jones was scheduled to defend his belt against former champion Stipe Miocic last November at UFC 295, but the fight was canceled with three weeks to go after Jones tore his pectoral tendon in training.

The Jones vs. Miocic fight is widely expected to be rescheduled and be part of UFC 309 in November at Madison Square Garden in New York.