Past opponent of former two-time undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, Chael Sonnen, has claimed that fans and onlookers are hoping to witness the Rochester native suffer defeat in his eventual Octagon return – as he plots a continued move to the heavyweight division.
Sonnen, a former title challenger at both the middleweight and light heavyweight limits during his tenure with the UFC, challenged Jon Jones for undisputed gold back in April 2013, suffering a first round knockout defeat to the then-dominant division kingpin.
Jon Jones receives even more flak from former opponent, Chael Sonnen
Sharing a stark with Jones inside and outside the Octagon – during and after their respective professional careers, Sonnen has speculated that spectators and fans are hoping to see Jon Jones suffer defeat in an expected heavyweight division excursion.
“Hey Jon (Jones), what are you weighing?” Chael Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “What are you weighing? Because this whole heavyweight thing, the whole heavyweight thing was only contingent on us, the audience, believing with some kind of reasonable hope that you’re finally going to get your ass kicked.”
“That’s it,” Chael Sonnen said. “We don’t need to see you at heavyweight. We don’t need to see your fat ass out there. We want to see you get beat. That’s it.” (Transcribed by Middleeasy)
Sidelined from the Octagon since February 2020, Jones has spent over a period of two years away from active competition, as he struggles to make good on an expected heavyweight division climb.
Last time out, the former Jackson-Wink MMA staple headlined UFC 247 against multiple-time title chaser, Dominick Reyes, narrowly landing a unanimous decision win over the Hesperia native before officially vacating the light heavyweight crown in August of that year.
Linked continually with a return before the culmination of this year, the New York look-see-do fighter has been floated for a potential interim heavyweight title outing against former division pacesetter, Stipe Miocic – amid the absence of current undisputed, Francis Ngannou.