Anderson Silva sticks up for embattled Jon Jones: ‘He deserves our respect’

To all you stone-throwing mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who try to pelt Jon Jones every time the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight kingpin makes a mistake, Anderson Silva would like to have a word with you.

In fact, “The Spider” believes we should all stand down and show “Bones” our respect, simply because of all the success Jones has been able to achieve despite his personal and professional hardships.

”I’m his close friend, I have a big affection for him, I see him as a younger brother, and I hope this moment he’s going through is a moment of reflection,” Silva told MMA Fighting. “He’s young and has everything it takes to come back and reclaim what’s his. I’m rooting for him, as always. He’s an amazing guy, a guy that has been through several difficulties, several problems, and deserves our respect.”

Like Jones, Silva is no stranger to professional setbacks, having flunked two separate drug tests across his legendary career. In fact, they are both currently serving disciplinary suspensions from United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), though we can expect the Brazilian back in November.

As for Jones, there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel ... for now.