UFC Quick Quote: Vilifying Jon Jones was 'organizational suicide'

"When you have a card that is only carried by one match, given the attrition rate in MMA, the injuries in training, they kind of set themselves up for the fall. They need to hold themselves accountable. It's become a bit of a habit, of late, by the leaders, to blame others for their problems, instead of letting people hold them accountable ... I think Jon Jones had nothing to gain in that fight. Sonnen, moving to a different weight division, having not fought there for quite a long time, and competing at 185, hasn't earned the right in the first place.I think Jon Jones was well within his rights, and I back Jackson on the decision that he made and the advice that he gave Jones to pull out of the fight. It doesn't do the UFC any good to chop the legs out from, possibly their biggest star because he doesn't take a last minute replacement fight. There was nothing to gain for his career. I think it's organizational suicide to do that to your biggest star."

Despite the beating Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones took for turning down a last-minute fight against Chael Sonnen, one that could have saved the now-defunct UFC 151 pay-per-view (PPV) event, not everyone in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community is holding "Bones" accountable. In fact, longtime veteran Pat Miletich tells Bloody Elbow the UFC needs to stop blaming its talent for its inability to promote a fight card outside of its main event, regardless of what Greg Jackson and his team felt was best for one of the sport's top draws -- even if it "murdered" this weekend's fight card. There is clearly a line in the sand on the beaches of "Bonesgate," but which side are you on?