UFC is pursuing Jon Jones vs. Sergei Pavlovich instead of Stipe Miocic fight, claims Chael Sonnen

It is quite clear by now that Jon Jones wants his next fight to be against Stipe Miocic. He believes the fight against Miocic is the most important one he can have to add to his already impressive resume. However, if former fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen is to be believed, the UFC is headed in a different direction for Jones' next fight.

Stipe Miocic has been on an extended layoff since March 2021, following his knockout loss to former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou at UFC 260. Meanwhile, Jones, who was on a prolonged hiatus of his own, returned to action earlier this year, defeating Ciryl Gane via submission in the first round at UFC 285 to lay hands on the heavyweight gold.

During Miocic's absence, Russian heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich, now ranked No. 2, has emerged as a formidable force in the division. Pavlovich has won his last six UFC bouts in the first round, lending credence to the assumption that he will be Jones' toughest challenge in the division.

In a recent conversation with Brendan Schaub, Chael Sonnen stated that he's hearing "strong rumors" that a potential Jon Jones vs. Sergei Pavlovich clash is in the works for August:

"I'm hearing strong rumors that Stipe and Jones is going to go up in flames and that Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jones is happening in August. I'm hearing strong rumors on that. It's strong enough that I can say it's at least being pursued."

Sonnen further claimed that the fight is possibly being targeted for UFC 293 in accordance with president Dana White's confirmation of plans to hold a major event in Sydney:

"If you did have partners in Australia... You promised them Izzy [Israel Adesanya]... 'Look I [the UFC] can't deliver but I can bring you Jones and Pavlovich, are we good?' They would probably say, 'Yeah, we're good.'"

Catch Sonnen's comments below:

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Jon Jones next fight: What did 'Bones' say about a potential clash with Sergei Pavlovich?

In his first fight since February 2020, Jon Jones defeated Ciryl Gane via submission to win the UFC heavyweight championship.

Following the emphatic victory, Jones has been linked to a fight against former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, who was inarguably the best fighter in the division between 2016 and 2021. While there are no confirmations about the fight, the MMA community has instead picked surging contender Sergei Pavlovich to be the next contender to fight Jones.

In an interview with Fox Sports Australia, Jon Jones expressed his desire to retire following his bout with Miocic, unless former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou returns to the octagon:

“Right now, my goal is to have one more big fight against Stipe Miocic, Madison Square Garden, and then kind of hang it up from there... I do believe a Francis Ngannou fight would be worth entertaining not retiring. I think a Francis fight would come with some serious revenue, and that would make it worth my while... Everyone is talking about Sergei [Pavlovich], and Sergei is a huge challenge, but nobody knows who he is.”

Watch Jones’ interview with Fox Sports Australia below: