During a Q&A session in London, England UFC president Dana White cast doubts over whether a light-heavyweight bout between Jon Jones (11-1) and Ryan Bader (12-0) would happen.
“I don’t know if Jones is going to fight Bader,” White said. “We tried to put that fight together, but Bader has some stuff going on. Jon Jones might be fighting somebody else, I don’t know how that’s going to go.”(MMAFighting.com)
The timing of the fight seemed to be in question as Jones was looking to fight on the New Year’s day card, but reports had both men fighting on the Super Bowl weekend event.
MMAFighting.com talked to Jones agent, Malki Kawa, who confirmed with them that they had indeed received a bout agreement for the Super Bowl weekend to face Bader.
(Kawa) said that he had already been sent a bout agreement for the Feb. 5 fight and had even talked about the fight to UFC officials as recently as Friday in London. Kawa said Jones is expected to sign the agreement to fight Bader in the coming days.
UFC officials also confirmed Kawa’s statement, saying that the fight is still scheduled for the Super Bowl weekend show.
Well it appears at least from Jones end of things, that the fight will happen but Bader still has to sign the agreement to make the fight happen.
On paper a bout between the two appears to be a good match up with a 12-0 fighter facing an 11-1 fighter, Jones is still stepping into the octagon to face another wrestler. “Bones” has dispatched them in the past, even with his only loss it was a one sided affair till the illegal 12-6 elbows, we don’t believe Bader will be able to smother Jones for a full three rounds.