Jon Jones says Lewis Hamilton blocked him over hunting video

Retired mixed martial arts champion Jon Jones has revealed that his social media friendship with Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton ended several years ago after Hamilton condemned him for a helicopter hunting trip. Jones, 39, recounted the incident in a recent interview, explaining that Hamilton, a seven-time F1 world champion and vocal vegan, privately messaged him to call him a coward and subsequently blocked him online.

The conflict stems from a hunting excursion Jones took with U.S. Army Rangers in 2021. Jones posted footage of himself using an AR-15 rifle to shoot a wild pig from a helicopter. He said the meat from the animal he killed was donated to an underprivileged family. Hamilton, who has been vegan since 2017 and is a prominent advocate against animal cruelty, saw the post and sent Jones a lengthy direct message expressing his disapproval.

According to Jones, Hamilton's message stated that only a coward would shoot an animal from a helicopter and that Jones should have given the animal a chance to fight back. Hamilton argued that hunting should be done traditionally with a spear or a bow and arrow to ensure a fairer fight. The Formula One driver then unfollowed and...