“It’d be great for Jon to be here, but I think Jon would probably be better off at home,” White told Brett Okamoto. “Jon should watch this one at home.”
UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane recently told the combat sports media that he plans to defeat former sparring partner Francis Ngannou in the UFC 270 pay-per-view (PPV) main event, then make his first 265-pound title defense against former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Who is not welcome at UFC 270 because nobody wants a repeat of this.
As for Ngannou, who looks to unify the division titles this Sat. night (Jan. 22, 2022) inside Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., he also made his intentions known about battling “Bones.” But UFC President Dana White is not sure that scenario is a reality because because Jones has yet to make up his mind.
“I don’t feel confident saying that Jon Jones is next,” White told ESPN (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “Not because I think he’s unreliable, it’s because I honestly don’t know what Jon Jones wants to do next. I think Jon’s going to watch this fight, and he’ll decide. Maybe he doesn’t fight at heavyweight. Maybe he goes back and tries to regain the light heavyweight championship. I honestly don’t know the answer to that question. After everything plays out on Saturday – there’s just so much going into this fight – it’s all part of the drama, though. It’s what makes this weekend so fun.”
Jones, 34, has not competed in nearly two years and his last two performances — decision victories over Dominick Reyes and Thiago Santos — were nothing to brag about. What followed was a protracted public negotiation regarding his UFC contract and a war of words with White … which got nowhere fast.
It’s hard to imagine Jones going back to 205 pounds after flaunting his new physique and outside of a potential Jiri Prochazka fight, there’s not a lot to be excited about in regards to a light heavyweight return. I guess we’re in the same boat as White and will have to wait for the outcome of UFC 270 to see what happens next.