Jones rails against Adesanya after rankings snub

The ex UFC champion did not not take kindly to being dropped a few spots on the pound-for-pound list.

It’s been a minute since we saw former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones compete in the Octagon. And we shouldn’t expect to see him there anytime soon. We already knew Bones’ was going to take his time in transitioning from 205 lbs to the UFC’s heavyweight division, but his return to action is now also dependent on the outcome of a domestic violence charge.

Jones was arrested in Las Vegas, the day after a UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, on suspicion of assaulting his longtime fiancee. Jones is also accused of damaging a police car, reportedly by headbutting it.

Since that incident a number of figures in MMA have questioned whether Jones will ever return to fighting (and whether the UFC will enforce it’s so-called Code of Conduct). Jones hasn’t been shy when it comes to putting out PR to aid his case. In social media posts he has cited alcohol as the culprit for the incident and denied that he abused his partner.

With Jones on the sideline for the foreseeable future he has seen his stock in the UFC fall dramatically. Lately this was evidenced by his falling on the promotion’s pound-for-pound rankings, a list he had lead for years.

This week Jones dropped from the second spot in the rankings to fourth, with UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Israel Adesanya leapfrogging him into second and third.

And it seems Jones is not very happy about the City Kickboxing duo’s rise up the rankings.

On Twitter Jones aimed a barb at Adesanya, someone he has traded plenty of trash talk with in the past. “When your ranked over Jon Jones on a pound for pound list but know you can’t defend a takedown,” he wrote.

Jones went on to express more dismay at the state of the rankings. He also threw shade at past opponents, writing (and then deleting): “When you get dudes whos ass I’ve already kicked, talking about Jon’s first loss is coming soon. I’m over here laughing my ass off.”

Jones went on to ask that he be removed entirely from the “silly list”.

Moments later Jones wrote that he found it “rather interesting” that he hadn’t heard any criticism of his “troubles” from the UFC’s current crop of heavyweights, whom he hopes to fight on his return. “It’s fellows who either wouldn’t fight me or who’s ass I’ve already kicked who seem to be the loudest,” he added.

Prior to Jones’ arrest for domestic violence, he had been campaigning for a fight with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Ngannou made it clear he wanted that fight to happen. However, the UFC—not wanting to acquiesce to Jones and Ngannou’s pay rise requests—decided to go another way.

Ngannou is now slated to take on Ciryl Gane, a former training partner who was given an interim heavyweight title with a win over Derrick Lewis.