Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jon Jones’ quest to score a bout against top heavyweight contender, Francis Ngannou, came to a screeching halt after Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) shut down his request of a pay increase to move up to the land of the big men.
According to “Bones,” though, actual numbers were never discussed, so you can understand why he was fuming after catching wind of Dana White’s claims that he was looking for an “absurd amount” of cash to face “The Predator.”
“Listen, it’s one thing to come out and say, ‘I want a little more money.’ But the amount of money Jon Jones wanted…first of all, the Dominick Reyes fight is a fight that makes sense,” said White in an interview with ESPN.
For White, Jones couldn’t have picked a worse time to ask for a raise. And while he wouldn’t go into specifics, it’s safe to assume White was referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hurt the worldwide economy.
“So is Jon Jones going to go fight Francis Ngannou and take a run for the heavyweight title? I don’t believe that. He’s never wanted to go to heavyweight before. And for the amount of money he’s asking for, it’s not going to happen. You couldn’t be asking for a more absurd amount of money at a worse time.”
Meanwhile, Jones can’t fathom why his boss would be so bold and “lie” to fans about his “absurd” request when the conversation never got to actual numbers.
It’s interesting to just sit here and watch your boss lie to the camera like this. We never discussed any increase in pay. Immediately the conversation was that I already made enough. I never made a number offer. https://t.co/YYx4FMHeIs
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
“It’s interesting to just sit here and watch your boss lie to the camera like this. We never discussed any increase in pay,” declared Jones on Twitter. “Immediately the conversation was that I already made enough. I never made a number offer.
“If you’re not going to change my contract for the heavyweight move, at least have the decency to be honest with the fans,” added Jones, who initially teased an extended hiatus after getting shot down. And while “Bones” was over the fact that a raise and a fight against Ngannou wasn’t in his near future, those bad feelings are coming back again.
“I was over the situation, but I’m not gonna sit back and allow Dana to lie to the fans. I never asked for an absurd amount of money. That’s bullshit. Absolute bullshit,” ended the light heavyweight king.
Jones and White have had a bit of a rocky history in the past, so there’s no telling if this latest incident further damages their working relationship.
According to White, the next bout for Jones is likely a rematch against Dominick Reyes, who “Bones” initially defeated at UFC 247 earlier this year in a tightly-contested bout. Of course, Jan Blachowicz also made his case for a shot at dethroning “Bones,” so there isn’t a shortage of options for him at 205 pounds.