UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes that there may be a connection between head trauma and irrational impulsivity with the promotion’s former light heavyweight champion
Jon Jones’ positive test for the banned substance Turinabol following his comeback, title-fight victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 left many questioning why the all-time great has a propensity for trouble.
Rogan believes he may have the answer:
“There’s a symptom of something else going on,” Rogan said (transcript via MMA Weekly). “People don’t like to discuss this but one of the things that it easily could be is that Jon has impulse control [issues] because he’s been sparring and fighting at the highest level of the sport for many, many years now and he’s gotten hit in the head a gang of times. There’s no way around it.
“There was an article I posted on Twitter that came up a couple of days ago, these neuroscientists were examining brain injury and violent behavior and like how they’re connected,” he continued. “How damage to certain areas of the brain has irreparable consequences on the decision-making ability of the person who gets hit.”
The article Rogan was referencing claims that there is a link between brain lesions and criminal behavior.
“Jon Jones is just one of the most talented guys of all time if not the most talented guy of all time and also the biggest disaster in terms of the biggest mistakes that he’s made,” Rogan said. “We’ve never had a fighter that did a hit-and-run on a pregnant and broke her arm and then took off and then tests positive for drugs cause he’s on dick pills and then tests positive again after his comeback, after a spectacular win over Daniel Cormier.
“He’s disappointing in that regard,” he added. “So exceptional in his physical abilities but the choices he makes and the decisions that come out of those choices are just f–king terrible.”
