Jon Jones is targeting his long-awaited return to the Octagon for UFC 282 on Dec. 10 from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, but an opponent has yet to be determined.
According to a recent report by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani (shown below), Jones has told UFC officials that he’s ready to make his heavyweight debut on the early-December card. However, UFC is still figuring out who Jones will face and if they will need to move him to another date all together.
UFC has been in dialogue with Jon Jones’ team about fighting in the main event on Dec. 10, sources say. I’m told Jones wants in.
Initial hope was Ngannou x Jones but given Ngannou’s knee recovery + contract status = a long shot. Option 2 is Miocic. But that’s not close to done.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 14, 2022
“UFC has been in dialogue with Jon Jones’ team about fighting in the main event on Dec. 10, sources say. I’m told Jones wants in.
Initial hope was Ngannou x Jones but given Ngannou’s knee recovery + contract status = a long shot. Option 2 is Miocic. But that’s not close to done.”
The first option for UFC 282’s headliner would be Jones against current UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou. However, Ngannou is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in his title defense against Ciryl Gane back at UFC 270 earlier this year. While UFC would love to book this fight considering all of the bad blood shared between Jones and Ngannou over the past few years it’s highly unlikely. Ngannou is probably going to be sidelined until early next year at the minimum.
If Jones vs. Ngannou is off the table for UFC 282 then matchmakers are looking to book “Bones” against former UFC heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic. Some believe Miocic’s striking diversity and wrestling prowess would actually give Jones more problems than Ngannou’s punching power. That’s still up for debate, but if fight fans get Jones vs. Miocic instead of Jones vs. Ngannou that isn’t too shabby at all. Remember, Miocic has been sidelined since Mar. 2021 when he lost his UFC heavyweight title to Ngannou via second-round knockout.
If they can get Jones x Miocic done, that’ll be the UFC 282 main. If not, the main will be Prochazka x Teixeira 2.
And if they can’t get Jones x Miocic done for 12/10, they’ll set their sights on doing Ngannou x Jones in March, if Ngannou re-signs. Developing.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 14, 2022
“If they can get Jones x Miocic done, that’ll be the UFC 282 main. If not, the main will be Prochazka x Teixeira 2.
And if they can’t get Jones x Miocic done for 12/10, they’ll set their sights on doing Ngannou x Jones in March, if Ngannou re-signs. Developing.”
If all else fails and Jones is unable to land on the Dec. 10 card then UFC 282 will be headlined by the light heavyweight rematch between current champion Jiri Prochazka and former titleholder Glover Teixeira. The two fought in a Fight of the Year candidate back at UFC 275 this past June, which saw Prochazka score a last-second submission win.
What do you say, fight fans? Do you want Jones vs. Miocic at UFC 282 or are you willing to wait it out for Jones vs. Ngannou next year?
Let’s hear it!