Heavyweight kickboxer and MMA fighter Chi Lewis-Parry was involved in a confrontation with Jon Jones earlier this year at Bodypower UK 2019, with Lewis-Parry crashing an autograph signing of Jones. Event security was able to intervene before matters escalated. This story was publicized after the confrontation happened, but what has not been made public is that the two had a history prior to this run-in, which Chad Lewis-Parry chronicled in great detail in a recent interview:
“We were at a press conference when DC was supposed to fight Jon the second time at the MGM? We were backstage,” Lewis-Perry told The Body Lock MMA. “So prior to that, DC and Jon had done an interview. I had never met Jon, I had no reason to speak to him. I was part of DC’s team. I had no ill feeling towards him. I was just a training partner for DC. I had nothing to say.
“They finished the interview. I was like ‘do you know what? He seems like quite a decent guy.’ Until we got outside the building….And DC and him are having a back-and-forth which is part of the fun, the entertainment. But that’s between them. I’m not going to start talking shit to a guy I don’t know. Then he turns to me and he starts talking shit about me. I was just like ‘why are you even talking to me? Why are we even having a conversation?’ And it got a little bit heated, security came.
Backstage Confrontation
“We went to the arena to do this press conference like an hour later. I was backstage and I bumped into Alistair Overeem who I’ve known for many years. Originally, I was with the group but DC and them lot went, carried on walking, they didn’t see me stop. So I’m talking with Alistair for like 10 minutes, catching up with him because I haven’t seen him for a while. When I turn to leave, here comes Jon and his brothers and like an entourage, it was like five or six people. And they tried to surround me like they were going to fucking jump me. I just squared up to Jon and was like ‘what are you gonna do?’ His brother started getting involved, jumping up and down like he was going to do something.
“I’ll be honest, I might talk smack but it’s all fun. I’m not insulting anybody’s mum or anybody’s kids. I don’t get personal like that. I understand it’s a sport and it’s entertainment. But I’m the same guy who talks shit to my friends. We play video games and I’ll let them know that they suck. He just started getting quite personal. To the point where I was like ‘well then let’s fight. Like right now. A street fight.’ Security came, we got in the car, we left.”
“He wasn’t on his own, but he had his manager with him at the first encounter. But the second time, he had his brothers, all of a sudden, he was a different guy. I’m not saying he was afraid the first time. But he was not as cocky the first time, he wasn’t as willing to step forward. But the second time, he had his brothers being all loud and noisy, that he’s kind of stepping to me.
Bodypower UK 2019 Confrontation
“And I was like ‘oh, now you got your brothers.’ That was the meaning behind that ‘where are your brothers now?’
“Because he was happy standing behind that table. But he comes over to say to the security guard ‘don’t hold him back’ but he’s still behind the security guard. See what I’m saying? So it’s all a facade. I’m sure he’d be happy to fight me but in the cage. He wasn’t happy to fight me in the street.”
What are your thoughts on Chi Lewis-Parry’s chronicles of his run-ins with Jon Jones?
