Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
The legacy of Jon Jones will alter one way or another later tonight (Sat., Feb. 8, 2020) at UFC 247 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, as the undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion enters his 15th-straight title fight in a defense against unbeaten contender Dominick Reyes.
While Jones has beaten every single contender he has ever encountered inside of the cage, Reyes does possess skills that are unique to a fight with “Bones.” The undefeated contender is not only long and strong enough to match Jones’ physical attributes, but his boxing combinations and finishing abilities are capable of giving the champ problems from the opening bell.
All of that said, Jones remains a -475 favorite to take out Reyes, according to our friends over at Bet Online. Those are substantial odds and a remainder that Jones has never been defeated inside of the cage. He’s still arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet and always finds a way to win no matter the opponent. So while Reyes is 6-0 inside of the Octagon with key knockouts over Chris Weidman and Jared Cannonier, “Devastator” still has to deal with the greatest light heavyweight ever later tonight at UFC 247.
Given the magnitude of this fight and what it means to the growing 205-pound faction, fight fans all around the world will be tuning in. But when exactly can combat enthusiasts expect Jones and Reyes to actually touch gloves?
With four other fights taking place on the PPV main card starting at 10 p.m. ET, Jones vs. Reyes is likely to begin sometime around 12:15 a.m. ET (Sunday). The co-main event between UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and Katlyn Chookagian will also be contested over the course of five rounds. Considering two out of Shevchenko’s last three title fights have gone the distance and the fact that Chookagian has zero finishes in six UFC wins, the co-headliner may very well push Jones vs. Reyes back even further.
If things run late (or early) Mania will be sure to provide an updated start time for tonight’s Jones vs. Reyes main event.