Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Jones has been adamant that he wants improved pay for a move up to heavyweight to take on Francis Ngannou.
Jon Jones has been forcibly stripped of UFC belts on multiple occasions, but this time he says he’s voluntarily relinquishing his light heavyweight title.
“Bones” has engaged in a lengthy public spat with the UFC (more specifically, Dana White) over wanting better pay for a potential heavyweight clash with feared knockout artist Francis Ngannou. White claimed that Jones wanted “Deontay Wilder” money to the tune of $30 million, something Jones has vehemently denied.
With Jones having doubled down on his call to be released from the promotion, he’s gone the extra mile by announcing that he’ll vacate the belt.
#ESPN Reyes vs Jan For the UFC light heavyweight championship of the world. As of right now, I got nothing to really gain fighting either of them. Let me know if you guys want to set up a day in 2021 for that Izzy fight. Hopefully you guys will be willing to pay by then.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 31, 2020
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 31, 2020
To the light heavyweight title Veni, vidi, vici
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 31, 2020
I hurt myself every time I walk out there and take a punch to the head and Not feel my pay is worth it anymore. https://t.co/X3BjGA9d02
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 31, 2020
Now just to be safe given his propensity to delete tweets, we’re going to include screenshots too.
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Obviously this is pure “I’ll believe it when I see it” news, but he is not letting this issue over improved pay go away.
Saturday night at the UFC Vegas post-fight press conference, White denied lying about the $30 million claim, and added that “the stuff that he’s been through to show up and basically demand $15 million or $20 million or $30 million, it’s crazy.” This is in obvious reference to Jones’ multiple arrests and drug test failures over the years, as White lamented that Jon could’ve been the LeBron James of MMA.
Jones hit back on Twitter shortly thereafter.
“The reporter asked Dana to show the text messages instead he gives a 55-second response talking about why would I lie,” he wrote. “At no point did I ever demand anything from you Dana, I simply asked for a super fight and asked to be compensated for it. You are the one who started talking negotiations publicly and showing the world how much you’ve been withholding from your athletes this whole time.”
Needless to say, Jones has come a long way from being rather supportive of UFC fighter pay and claiming that the promotion has created more millionaires than boxing.