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Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya did such a good job of trash talking each other that I actually thought the promotion would capitalize on their heat and put together a champion vs. champion “super fight” in late 2019 or early 2020.
Not happening.
I guess UFC wants Adesanya to put some work in at middleweight before moving up to challenge “Bones,” or perhaps a loss to “The Last Stylebender” keeps Jones from making waves at heavyweight. Either way, this bout is on ice until 2021.
“If Dom (Reyes) beats him it makes no difference. I’m coming for him, I’m coming on him. You wait, in 2021, you’ll see,” Adesanya told Ariel Helwani (transcribed by Natasha Hooper). “People are going to remember you because you’re a drug cheat, you’re a steroid cheat. That’s all they’re gonna remember, so my walkouts are going to be greater than his whole career. People are going to remember my walkouts more than his career.”
Jones is scheduled to defend his 205-pound title against top division contender Dominick Reyes in the UFC 247 main event next month in Houston, Texas. As for Adesanya, he’s expected to make his first middleweight title defense against Yoel Romero later this year.
That means both combatants have to hold on to their respective titles until 2021 for this grudge match to become a reality, and as we learned from lost opportunities that include Anderson Silva, among others, nothing is guaranteed in this crazy sport.