Jon Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, has seen his fair share of fights throughout his 30 professional MMA bouts, yet he recounts not witnessing anything quite like the recent brawl involving Nate Diaz on a reality show set in Thailand. As Jones and Diaz were supposed to coach contestants on a variation of ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ an altercation broke out involving Diaz and another contestant that escalated into chaos.

In his recount of the events, Jones mentioned the inappropriate timing of initiating a playful battle with Diaz, who appeared to be on edge due to past issues with Russian fighters. Eventually, the situation spiraled so out of control that they had to replace Diaz for safety.

Jones stated: “We had one of our young fighters, a guy named Zalik, who was playing with Nate. He wanted to play-fight with Nate. Nate kind of came in a little bit on edge… Play-fighting with Nate was not the best idea. It became serious right away, and we had to replace Nate.”

The brawl’s origins may trace back to Diaz’s previous conflicts with notable UFC figures, such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev. After the skirmish, Diaz and his entourage promptly departed back to California, according to teammate Jake Shields.

Jones concluded by stating that this incident was one of the most unexpected he’d seen in his lengthy career, describing the show and its participants as lacking the traditional respect found in martial arts. “There are really no rules here. Some guys are warriors, while others are more like street fighters. There are insults, there are weapons, and it’s a different environment altogether.”

Notably, Jones’s insights into this situation showcase the ever-evolving landscape of MMA, revealing the raw nature of competitions beyond traditional events.