“This Too Shall Pass” – Jon Jones Defends Dustin Poirier Following UFC Legend’s Airport Arrest Controversy

The last few days haven’t bode well for Dustin Poirier. For those unfamiliar, the retired UFC star was arrested on Father’s Day following an incident at Atlanta’s airport. Early reports indicated that Poirier was charged with misdemeanor public drunkenness. While ‘The Diamond’ later addressed the situation with a message of gratitude on Instagram, few details were publicly available beyond the fact that he was released the same day.

According to TMZ Sports, Poirier was booked at 6:38 p.m. ET and released just a few hours later at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET. His mugshot was also made public. However, on June 23, body-camera footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shed new light on the events leading up to the arrest. The footage, later obtained by TMZ Sports, shows Poirier behaving erratically, threatening an officer, and repeatedly challenging law enforcement before ultimately submitting to arrest. 

The video begins after Poirier had already been removed from a flight and shows him causing a disturbance near the gate area. At one point, the former interim lightweight champion can be seen aggressively approaching officers in what appears to be an otherwise empty section of the airport. When an officer identified him as the decorated UFC veteran, Poirier became even more agitated and challenged them to a fist fight by pulling his shorts in trademark style. The situation escalated further when the officer drew his taser and backed away as Poirier continued to posture aggressively.

🚨 Dustin Poirier was unhinged during his arrest this week in a totally chaotic scene

🎥: Atlanta Police Department pic.twitter.com/DKCBQBLR81

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) June 23, 2026

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The Louisiana native repeatedly challenged the officer while being instructed to calm down. Additional officers eventually arrived at the scene and were briefed on the situation, helping bring the tense encounter under control. Once backup arrived, the video cuts to Poirier surrendering and placing his hands behind his back before being taken into custody. In a surprising turn, another segment of the footage shows the former UFC interim champion attempting to make amends with the very officer he had challenged moments earlier.  

Poirier can be seen offering the officer a fist bump and thanking him for doing his best to handle the situation. The incident has sparked mixed reactions across the MMA community, with figures such as Colby Covington and Josh Hokit criticizing the former interim lightweight champion for his behavior. However, Jon Jones has now come to Poirier’s defense with an interesting perspective.

Jones, who has experienced his own share of legal troubles over the years, took to social media to support Poirier following the fighter’s admission that he has been struggling with alcohol since retiring after UFC 318. In a recent post, Jones wrote, “Wanted to write and tell my n—a Dustin Poirier to keep your head up, life happens. This too shall pass. Just keep yourself busy, my man, it helps.”

When a fan questioned how someone as respected and accomplished as Poirier could end up in such a situation, Jones offered a thoughtful response. “I mean no, but I do respect the fact that he’s being honest about his mental state. I swear, in some weird way, retiring from the UFC almost feels like retiring from the military or something. There’s so many similarities.”

Jones went on to suggest that the incident may have actually made Poirier more relatable to fans. He added, “In some weird way, I think that video made Dustin even more popular. We’ve all done stupid shit while drunk, which almost makes him more relatable. Not saying it was right, but that shit was actually pretty funny.”

Jon Jones says Dustin Poirier has the ‘N Word Pass’

“[Dustin] said that sh*t so smooth. I literally took zero offense.

In some weird way, I think that video made Dustin even more popular. We’ve all done stupid sh*t whilke drunk, and almost makes him more relatable. Not saying… https://t.co/Vbg10IG461 pic.twitter.com/56LO2TVCvS

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 25, 2026

For those unfamiliar, Poirier retired from MMA following his loss to Max Holloway at UFC 318 in his home state of Louisiana, bringing the curtain down on one of the most accomplished careers in lightweight history. Regarding his recent arrest, Georgia law states that a public intoxication conviction can carry penalties of up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Many fans, however, are hoping the incident proves to be nothing more than a temporary setback for one of the sport’s most respected figures. Throughout his career, Poirier earned widespread admiration not only for his accomplishments inside the Octagon but also for his charitable work through The Good Fight Foundation and his professionalism outside the cage. His candid admission about his personal struggles has prompted an outpouring of support from fans and fellow fighters alike, many of whom are hopeful that the UFC legend can successfully navigate this challenging chapter of his life.