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UFC urged to strip Jon Jones of championship amid injury layoff: ‘If he doesn’t return soon, you have to remove his belt’

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos thinks Tom Aspinall is the real heavyweight king. Aspinall is the current…

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos thinks Tom Aspinall is the real heavyweight king.

Aspinall is the current interim heavyweight champion as he scored a first-round knockout over Sergei Pavlovich back in November. The current heavyweight champion is Jon Jones who won the title in March with a submission win over Ciryl Gane but has not fought since then due to injuries.

Given that Jones hasn’t fought in a year, dos Santos views Aspinall as the real heavyweight champion.

“He’s the man of the moment, so he should be considered the champion,” dos Santos said on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast. “If Jon Jones doesn’t return soon, you have to remove his belt and make Aspinall’s belt undisputed. I think he’s doing great, he really is very tough and skilled and competent at what he does. It’s a new moment for the heavyweight division in the UFC.”

Junior dos Santos says Jon Jones – StipeMiocic doesn’t need the belt attached to it

Although dos Santos thinks Tom Aspinall is the real heavyweight champ, he knows the UFC won’t strip Jon Jones because they want the fight against Stipe Miocic to be for the belt.

Stipe Miocic interim title fight offer for UFC 295 would be "completely disrespectful" dana white — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

However, the Brazilian thinks Jones vs. Miocic doesn’t need to be for the belt for people to care, so he thinks the UFC should strip Jones.

“The belt is obviously the goal for every athlete, but more to crown the position they are today,” dos Santos said. “The belt is a symbol that you’re No. 1, but Jon Jones and even Miocic, we already know they are the No. 1 and No. 2, or at least that they’re at the top of the division. Actually, Renan [Ferreira] just got in the mix. [Laughs.]

Jon Jones undergoes new elbow surgery amid UFC absence your boy's back in the sling

“But I think they’re both extremely experienced and have long careers, so they should do what’s best for them. There’s no point to fight only to fight, or to do things that they don’t believe in at this stage of their careers. Let’s see what happens next.”

Although dos Santos thinks the UFC should strip Jones, it does seem unlikely that will happen.

Do you agree with Junior dos Santos?

UFC urged to strip Jon Jones of championship amid injury layoff: ‘If he doesn’t return soon, you have to remove his belt’

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos thinks Tom Aspinall is the real heavyweight king. Aspinall is the current…

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos thinks Tom Aspinall is the real heavyweight king.

Given that Jones hasn’t fought in a year, dos Santos views Aspinall as the real heavyweight champion.

Junior dos Santos says Jon Jones – StipeMiocic doesn’t need the belt attached to it

Although dos Santos thinks Tom Aspinall is the real heavyweight champ, he knows the UFC won’t strip Jon Jones because they want the fight against Stipe Miocic to be for the belt.

However, the Brazilian thinks Jones vs. Miocic doesn’t need to be for the belt for people to care, so he thinks the UFC should strip Jones.

Although dos Santos thinks the UFC should strip Jones, it does seem unlikely that will happen.

Do you agree with Junior dos Santos?

Junior dos Santos expects Sergei Pavlovich to ‘Dominate’ the heavyweight division: ‘Hell be a star’

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos sees Sergei Pavlovich one day ruling over the division. Pavlovich has established himself as one the breakout stars of the UFC’s heaviest weight class courtesy of six straight first-round knockouts against some of the division’s most formidable foes, including Curtis Blaydes, Tai Tuivasa, and Derrick Lewis. On the […]

Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos sees Sergei Pavlovich one day ruling over the division.

Pavlovich has established himself as one the breakout stars of the UFC’s heaviest weight class courtesy of six straight first-round knockouts against some of the division’s most formidable foes, including Curtis Blaydes, Tai Tuivasa, and Derrick Lewis. On the cusp of scoring his first shot at UFC gold, Junior dos Santos believes it’s just a matter of time before the heavy-hitting Russian is dominating the division.

“I had the opportunity to train with him and he’s really tough, brother,” dos Santos said on an episode of MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast. “He’ll scare a lot of people in there. He’ll be a star, he’ll dominate this division soon, and he’s only getting better.”

Reigning heavyweight champion Jon Jones will put his title on the line this November when the promotion returns to the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, for UFC 295. In the main event, ‘Bones’ will put his strap on the line against heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic, but no matter who comes out on top, both men could find themselves fading away into retirement, leaving the promotion without a heavyweight champ.

Enter Jailton Almeida, a fast-rising contender who has earned four straight finishes, including a first-round submission over Jairzinho Rozenstruik in his last outing. Almeida will attempt to earn his fifth win in a row when he meets perennial contender Curtis Blaydes on November 4.

Many fans believe ‘Malhadinho’ is destined to be the next big thing in the heavyweight division, but Junior dos Santos can’t look past the impressive ability of Sergei Pavlovich, particularly after spending some time in the gym together.

“‘Malhadinho’ is doing great as well in every sense and I hope he continues to do so,” dos Santos said. “But I had the personal experience of training and whatnot, to know how hard it is to train with Pavlovich, and that’s why I’m saying this. He’s super tough, you know? But we obviously see the work ‘Malhadinho’ has put in and it’s impressive. I think he’ll always be at the top as well. It’s going to be an interesting battle. The heavyweight division is going through a great moment, especially after Jon Jones’ arrival.”

Junior dos Santos Sees Stipe Miocic Giving ‘Bones’ His Greatest Challenge

Jon Jones is already being dubbed the greatest mixed martial artist in the history of the sport. That’s an undoubtedly difficult statement to argue against, but if there’s one man out there who can pose a legitimate danger to Jones’ legacy, it’s the two-time heavyweight world champion.

“If there’s anyone who can give Jon Jones a challenge right now, that’s Stipe Miocic,” dos Santos said. “I admire Stipe a lot, he’s a great fighter with a solid wrestling background. UFC and Dana White made the right call. This is a fight that will excite all the fans, and I won’t miss it. It makes all the sense.”

Junior dos Santos stepped inside the Octagon with Stipe Miocic on two separate occasions, the first coming in 2014 with ‘Cigano’ walking away with a unanimous decision victory. Three years later, they would run it back at UFC 211. This time, Miocic would even the series scoring a first-round knockout.

“In my career, I think the one that hit me the hardest was Miocic — that I [still] had consciousnesses. The others, I slept,” dos Santos said with a laugh. “I think he brings great danger to Jon Jones. And we don’t need to talk about Jon Jones, he’s incredible.

“Jon Jones is the favorite against anyone, obviously. He’s exceptional, never lost in his career, and this is a fight you can’t miss.”

Former UFC foes Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum face off ahead of bare knuckle MMA fight

On Friday night, fight fans will be treated to a rematch 15 years in the making as ex-UFC champions Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum put down the four-ounce gloves and go toe-to-toe at Gamebred Bareknuckle 5. Emanating from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, Jorge Masvidal’s promotion will offer fans a heavyweight […]

Emanating from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, Jorge Masvidal’s promotion will offer fans a heavyweight clash between two legends of the sport. Junior dos Santos (21-10-0) will make his first appearance in the cage since suffering his fifth-straight loss at the hands of Yorgan De Castro under the Eagle FC banner more than a year ago. Meeting him will be submission specialist and fellow former UFC heavyweight world champion, Fabricio Werdum (24-9-1).

Ahead of their main event clash in the Sunshine State, Junior dos Santo and Fabricio Werdum went face-to-face at the official Gamebread Bareknuckle weigh-ins on Thursday.

Junior dos Santos is Ready to Start a New Chapter in His Career

The two heavyweight icons first met at UFC 90 in what was Junior dos Santos’ promotional debut. As a result, ‘Cigano’ entered the bout as a significant underdog, but he only needed 80 seconds to prove the oddsmakers wrong, scoring a highlight-reel-worthy KO against Werdum that earned him Knockout of the Night and Upset of the Year honors.

“I don’t think of this as a rematch because so much is different today,” Dos Santos said during the weigh-in ceremony. “The main thing hasn’t changed though, it’s still his grappling against my striking. My motivation is to go in there and show the world the best of me. When I do that, I’ll walk away with a win. I built who I am through a lot of hard work and sacrifice. That’s why I’m privileged to be in this position again. I just love to fight and now that I’m doing a new thing in bare-knuckle, it’s gonna be very fun.”

Having his turn on the microphone, Fabricio Werdum suggested that a bare-knuckle fight would give him a decided advantage over the heavy-hitting Brazilian on Friday night.

“I don’t think about the past, I just think about today,” Werdum added. “My moment is now and I don’t think about what’s come before. No gloves will help my grip and with my grappling. I think it might be a little bit of an advantage for me. I’m very comfortable with no gloves. I think it’s only a small difference for me to be bare-knuckle because MMA gloves are small. I train a lot of the time with no gloves in the gym anyway. I’m really excited to have this bare-knuckle fight for the first time,” (h/t MMA Mania).

Gamebred Bareknuckle 5: Dos Santos vs. Werdum will air live and for free on the Gamebred YouTube channel starting at 7 p.m. EST.

Ex-UFC champion Junior dos Santos looks absolutely shredded ahead of bare knuckle MMA debut

Former UFC heavyweight world champion Junior dos Santos looks to be in the best shape of his life ahead of his highly anticipated bare-knuckle MMA debut. On September 8, ‘Cigano’ is scheduled to compete under the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA banner against another former UFC titleholder, Fabricio Werdum. It will be the first time in his […]

Former UFC heavyweight world champion Junior dos Santos looks to be in the best shape of his life ahead of his highly anticipated bare-knuckle MMA debut.

On September 8, ‘Cigano’ is scheduled to compete under the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA banner against another former UFC titleholder, Fabricio Werdum. It will be the first time in his 17-year-long career that JDS will leave his four-ounce gloves at home and go bare-fisted inside the cage.

Ahead of his return, Junior dos Santos looks to be in impeccable shape, as noted by MMA journalist Drake Riggs who shared a series of images featuring JDS looking absolutely jacked ahead of his return to competition.

“Junior dos Santos looks like he found the fountain of youth ahead of his Gamebred Bareknuckle debut rematch against Fabricio Werdum on Sept. 8,” Riggs wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Junior dos Santos Looks to Snap Five-Fight Losing Skid

His bare-knuckle scrap with Werdum will be the first time Junior dos Santos has stepped inside the cage since suffering a shoulder injury during the third round of his clash with Yorgan de Castro at Eagle FC 47 last year. The bout was his fifth-straight loss dating back to 2019 when a four-fight losing streak under the UFC banner resulted in his release from the promotion. To be fair, those four losses came against some absolute killers, including Francis Ngannou, Curtis Blaydes, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Ciryl Gane.

JDS’ opponent, Fabricio Werdum, returns to the cage following a very brief stint with the Professional Fighters League. Signing on to compete in the 2021 regular season, Werdum initially lost his first bout inside the Smart Cage against Renan Ferreira via TKO, but the ruling was later overturned after instant replay clearly revealed that Ferreira tapped out to a triangle choke before turning the tables and pummeling Werdum with a serious of ground-and-pound strikes.

Werdum was expected to return a month later, but he was unable to get medical clearance. He has since parted ways with the PFL and will now make his bare-knuckle MMA debut against Junior dos Santos next month.

Junior dos Santos vs. Fabricio Werdum rematch headlines Gamebred Bareknuckle 5 on September 8

Nearly 15 years removed from their first meeting inside the Octagon, Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum will run back their UFC 90 scrap. But this time, they’ll leave the gloves at home. As reported by renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani on Twitter, the two former UFC heavyweight world champions will square off in […]

Nearly 15 years removed from their first meeting inside the Octagon, Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum will run back their UFC 90 scrap. But this time, they’ll leave the gloves at home.

As reported by renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani on Twitter, the two former UFC heavyweight world champions will square off in a bare-knuckle MMA bout under Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA banner on September 8. Emanating from the VyStar Veteran’s Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, the two heavyweight icons are expected to headline the event which will also feature Renan Barao vs. Sean Soriano and Brandon Jenkins vs. Anthony Njokuani

Junior dos Santos x Fabricio Werdum 2 is signed for Sept. 8 in Jacksonville, I’m told. The pair first fought at UFC 90, a fight won by JDS via spectacular KO.

But there’s a twist: it’s happening under bare knuckle MMA rules for @GamebredFighter’s BK MMA promotion.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 30, 2023

The Careers of Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum Have Taken Very Similar Paths in Recent Years

Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum are two of the most accomplished heavyweight fighters in mixed martial arts history. Their bout at UFC 90 ended just 80 seconds into the contest with JDS scoring a first-round knockout. The victory came in the early going of an incredible 10-fight win streak for dos Santos that ultimately led to him capturing the UFC heavyweight title in November 2011. His title run was short-lived, defending the crown against Frank Mir before handing it back to the same man he took it from, Cain Velasquez.

Like JDS, Fabricio Werdum captured the heavyweight title with a win over Velasquez at UFC 188. He would go on to lose the title less than a year later against the general consensus heavyweight GOAT, Stipe Miocic.

Both men have only competed once since exiting the UFC in 2020. Werdum competed in one fight under the PFL banner while Junior dos Santos fought in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC. JDS squared off with fellow UFC vet Yorgan De Castro in May 2022 and suffered a shoulder injury seconds into the third round, forcing a stoppage. It was dos Santos’ fifth-straight loss via TKO.