Unbeaten Dominick Reyes picked up his fifth straight win inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Octagon — 11 in a row overall — last Saturday (March 16, 2019) at UFC Fight Night 147 by edging out Volkan Oezdemir via split-decision.
Being one of only three Light Heavyweight’s in the top 10 not coming off a loss (excluding Daniel Cormier), “The Devastator” is in prime position to sneak his way into the championship conversation at 205 pounds. And while he is confident he is the one to take down “Bones,” he also doesn’t want to rush into a fight against the one of the greatest to ever do it.
“So I feel I need another fight under my belt before I fight Jon. So may be one, one or two more and then we’re dancing,” admitted Reyes on The MMA Hour.
Since starting his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career just under five years ago, Dominick says he’s been training for a showdown against Jones ever since.
“I’ve thought of it before, but you don’t think about it too long until you get there. When I first came into MMA, I trained everyday to bet Jon, to do everything right to beat Jon when you do fight him. But I think when the time comes I will be ready. I know it’s coming soon, so, I am getting there, man.”
“I think the common thread is that people get into their own heads an let Jon dictate the pace of the fight, as opposed to throwing caution to the wind, or…I feel Gus hit it best with his movements and avoiding the kicks,” he added. “Jon puts you in awkward situations and makes you do things you’re not as comfortable doing.”
Up next for Jones is likely a title defense against Thiago Santos, who is currently ranked at No. 3, only behind Alexander Gustafsson and the aforementioned Cormier. While that fight plays out, Dominick should be able to sneak one more fight in (maybe against this man) in order to prepare himself for his first-ever shot at the strap.
And since “Bones” is determined to stay busy in 2019, if the opportunity to face him comes knocking at Dominick’s front door sooner, rather than later, it would behoove him not to pass it up.