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The longest-teased move in the history of the UFC is finally coming to fruition, as Jon Jones has embarked on a quest to move up to heavyweight and become a two-division champion.
Given his legacy and all that he has done for the UFC over the years, it is a no-brainer to hand Jones a direct title shot against heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. 'The Predator' too has expressed interest in going up against one of the greatest of all time, but the ongoing pay dispute between Jones and the UFC appears to have helped Derrick Lewis leapfrog 'Bones' to a championship fight.
That may come as a blessing in disguise for Jones, who could use a tune-up fight before taking on the winner of Ngannou vs Lewis 2. Here are three reasons why Jon Jones should consider spending time in the Octagon before fighting for the UFC heavyweight title.
#3 Jon Jones hasn't fought in over a year
Jon Jones last fought at UFC 247 in February 2020. Since then, the landscape of sport across the world has changed massively, thanks to a global pandemic and the resultant absence of crowds.
Jones is used to performing at a high level in front of tens of thousands of people and he feeds off their energy, especially in the championship rounds. The UFC is slowly allowing crowds in during their PPVs, even if the Fight Night cards take place at the closed APEX facility in Las Vegas. 'Bones' will undoubtedly headline a massive PPV, but he won't be surrounded by a full-strength crowd.
Even otherwise, Jon Jones might suffer from ring rust in a potential fight for the heavyweight title, in which he will have zero room for error. He is no stranger to returning to the Octagon after long breaks, but against Ngannou, he may not be able to get away with a performance similar to the one he put up against Ovince Saint Preux after coming back from an enforced hiatus.
#2 Jon Jones is on the back of two unimpressive wins
Jon Jones is virtually undefeated, with his only professional loss coming by way of a controversial disqualification. But many believe he was lucky to end up on the right side of the judges' scorecards in his last two fights against Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes.
Jones edged a split decision against Santos, who blew out his knee early in the fight but still gave the champion a run for his money with his powerful striking. Reyes pushed the 33-year-old to the limit before suffering the first loss of his professional career, incidentally one that has thrown his UFC career into free fall.
Even Jon Jones' staunchest fans can attest to the fact that he's a shadow of the fighter who notched up title defenses against the scariest champions in the history of the UFC's light heavyweight division.
Jones has frequently insisted on social media that he has found the motivation to train harder and perform better at heavyweight. But it might be prudent for him to ease himself back into the Octagon before going for broke against the champion.
#1 The pay dispute between Jon Jones and the UFC isn't any closer to resolution
After years of earning significantly lesser than the other high-profile champions in the promotion, Jon Jones has taken a stand against the UFC and its president Dana White. While he has been coy about the exact figure he wants to be paid, the former UFC light heavyweight champion doesn't seem willing to accept whatever White's offering him.
The UFC and Jones are at an impasse, with both parties clearly frustrated at the lack of progress. He has parted ways with his old management, but the dispute doesn't seem any closer to resolution.
At the end of the day, Jon Jones needs UFC more than they need him. The promotion has put on several eye-catching shows over the last year despite having the odds stacked against them, and Jones isn't a superstar of the ilk of Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya in terms of marketability.
Jones might be forced into taking the next-best option available to him - a non-title heavyweight fight in which he could further his case for better pay with a convincing win.
