The light heavyweight title fight between long-reigning champion Jon Jones and surging contender Anthony “Rumble” Johnson might just have a landing spot.
According to UFC president Dana White on The Jim Rome Show (via Fox Sports), the promotion was eyeing May. UFC 187 is the lone pay-per-view planned for May (according to the completely subject-to-change schedule released in December), making May 23 the probable date for the fight.
Johnson upset former light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on Fox 14 on Saturday with a brutal first-round knockout. After previous boasts that the bout was a top-contender bout, White confirmed a Jones vs. Johnson bout immediately after the fight on Instagram.
In addition to the obvious ramifications for the light heavyweight division, this also confirms that the upcoming featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor is getting pushed back to “late summer.”
UFC 187 was pegged as the landing spot for that fight shortly after UFC Fight Night 59, but the delay reopens the seemingly nixed discussion of Aldo vs. McGregor‘s taking place in the Croke Park soccer stadium in Ireland.
Rumble is a particularly interesting opponent for Jones. The championship reign of “Bones” has been defined by utter dominance, with his only true challenge coming from Gustafsson at UFC 165. That said, Johnson’s combination of powerful striking, takedown defense and quickness could be a real challenge for Jones.
Naturally, UFC 187’s date (and Jones vs. Johnson’s presence on the card) is subject to change. No other fights have been linked to the card, so make sure to stick with Bleacher Report for more details as they become available.
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