Jon "Bones" Jones has taken a lot of heat for his failed drug test less than a month before defending his UFC light heavyweight title vs. Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, and even more for leaving rehab after just one day. The pound-for-pound champ has a powerful ally in his corner though-the man he replaced for that pound-for-pound crown.
Anderson "Spider" Silva, set to headline UFC 183, called for support for Jones during this difficult time.
"Everybody makes mistakes, we have to stop criticizing him and start to support him so he can come back and become a better person than he already is. This doesn't match with who he is, a great person with millions of fans, just like me."
It's not clear how the failed test-which found cocaine in his system-will affect his career in the immediate future, but Silva predicted that "Bones" will land on his feet.
"He will overcome that and come back," Silva said. "He's too young, has too much to learn. It happens, so he can understand how important he is in this sport. It's going to be good for him to see the responsibility of being an athlete."
Silva then took his praise a step further, predicting the ultimate honor for Jones.
"We have a good relationship, I have him as a young brother," he continued. "Our relationship is great, I'm a fan and a close friend. I believe he will be the best of all time."
Some consider Silva to be the top MMA fighter ever, and he holds the record for title defenses of his middleweight crown (10). He has lost his last two fights to current middleweight champion Chris Weidman, and brutally broke his leg attempting a leg kick in his last fight.
Silva returns to the octagon on January 31 against Nick Diaz.
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