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Back in February, Jon Jones stunned MMA fans by making an appearance in the broadcast booth for the historic PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view card. It was a sight to behold, as Jones is the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, and the idea that he gave a fairly long interview at a rival promotion's biggest-ever event was stunning.
Yet, it took place anyway, and left many fans scratching their heads. Just how could the UFC allow one of their most well-known fighters to give such attention to a competing organization?
Why was Jon Jones at PFL vs. Bellator?
At the PFL vs. Bellator event, Jon Jones popped up for an interview with the broadcast, where he spoke to past foe and one-time challenger to his former UFC light heavyweight title, Chael Sonnen, as well as former PFL light heavyweight champion, Sean O'Connell.
Jones touched on numerous topics and chief among them was his rivalry with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, as well as the latter's chances in what turned out to be a lopsided knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in the boxing ring.
Check out Jon Jones' PFL interview:
Just what Jones was doing being interviewed at a PFL event is unclear. While an official answer was never given, the reason for his presence there, or at the very least why his presence there was unobstructed by the UFC, was likely due to ESPN owning the broadcasting rights for both the UFC and PFL.
Given that the UFC's contract with ESPN expires this year, and they're currently in the process of negotiating a new deal, the promotion likely didn't want to upset its broadcasting partner prior to securing a new contract.
It wasn't Jon Jones' first appearance at a PFL event
Last year, Jon Jones also made an appearance in the PFL when he cornered teammate Maurice Greene at PFL 8. Unfortunately, 'Bones' was witness to his teammate getting brutally knocked unconscious by the heavy-handed Renan Ferreira, who is now expected to face Francis Ngannou.
Speaking of 'The Predator,' Jones took part in an impromptu face-off with the Cameroonian knockout artist at an earlier event, PFL 5, also in 2023. The two men crossed paths cage-side, where they had a brief chat, before engaging in a viral face-off.
However, the face-off is unlikely to lead to much, as Jones is currently tied to his UFC contract, while Ngannou must still make his PFL debut.
