Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
“I was trying to get a Stipe Miocic fight. I thought that maybe it would happen but instead we have Stipe-DC.”
Jon Jones teased of a ‘big fight announcement’ earlier this year, but the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion never did reveal his opponent.
Well, the pound-for-pound No. 1 explained at the UFC 247 press conference earlier this month that he was looking to fight heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic, but the bout never came to fruition.
Instead, Jones will defend his light heavyweight title against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 and Miocic will rematch Daniel Cormier sometime in the new year.
“I was trying to get a Stipe Miocic fight,” Jones told reporters in Las Vegas (h/t MMA Fighting). “I thought that maybe it would happen but instead we have Stipe-DC (Daniel Cormier) 3.
“But at the moment I was so ready to go to heavyweight and stick my hands in with some of those big fellas.”
Although the Miocic fight never materialised, ‘Bones’ is determined to make his UFC heavyweight debut in 2020.
“The time is going to be really close. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened in 2020. I was 240 not that long ago. Right now, I’m living with my nutritionist and I’ve built a home gym in my garage and I feel really, really good right now. I’m 230 with a six pack.”
“I think it’s a very strong possibility, absolutely. There’s always going to be someone next. I feel as if I’ve cleared the division and I’m waiting around and I’m taking on new challenges. I’m not sitting on the title. I’m not hiding from anybody.”
If Jones beats Reyes at UFC 247, expect the 32-year-old to announce his move to heavyweight in the post-fight interview. The pay-per-view is scheduled to take place next year, Feb. 8 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.