UFC president Dana White has revealed he won’t be stripping Jon Jones of his light-heavyweight title – at least for now anyway.
Jones successfully defended his title against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 earlier this year. After doing so he began negotiations for his long-awaited and eagerly anticipated jump to heavyweight where he would face KO artist Francis Ngannou.
Unfortunately, things went south quickly during negotiations for that fight. White publicily spoke of Jones demanding “obscene” money to face Ngannou. Jones denied this claim and went on to say he hadn’t even discussed any figures with the UFC brass. White though doubled down and said Jones asked for the same amount of money Deontay Wilder earns – about $30 million – to fight Ngannou.
Jones has since announced he has relinquished his 205lb belt and will be stepping away from the sport until he is paid correctly.
“I’m not asking for anything outrageous, and I know we’re in a pandemic, and I know when you’re a multimillionaire and you’re asking for more, it makes you seem like this greedy person,” Jones said on Steve-O’s “Wild Ride” podcast (via ESPN). “I’m very aware of all of this, but I’m also very aware that I have the voice and the platform to make change.
“I don’t want to fight soon,” Jones said. “I have no interest in fighting in the UFC until I get paid what I believe I’m worth.
“I think it’s really powerful when you stand up for what you believe is right. I think eventually the UFC will realize that they’re being stubborn, will realize that they have a special athlete in myself, and I think they’ll eventually meet me halfway.”
In an interview with Barstool Sports White revealed Jones is still the light-heavyweight champion and he was hoping to work, he said.
“You know as much as I know. The last time he said he wasn’t fighting, so he isn’t fighting. We are feeling this thing out. When it is time for him to fight, we will see.” White revealed he has no plans to strip Jones of his title. “Not as of yet,” he said when the interviewer asked if that would happen. (Transcribed by BJPENN.com)
Do you think Dana White will strip Jon Jones before the end of 2020?