Jon Jones: ‘Nothing to gain’ by facing Dominick Reyes, fight against Francis Ngannou is ‘inevitable’
Jon Jones doesn’t seem all that impressed by the current crop of light heavyweights vying for his title.
The reigning 205-pound champion took to Twitter late Tuesday night to first respond to Tony Ferguson’s callout before later deleting those messages and then he turned his attention to Dominick Reyes and the rest of the challengers in his division.
While Reyes appears to be the most logical choice for his next opponent after notching his sixth win in the UFC with a first round knockout against Chris Weidman this past weekend, Jones just isn’t all that motivated for that fight.
“Really not sure when I’ll be fighting next,” Jones wrote. “Feel like I have nothing to gain by beating Dominick. I’ve actually felt that way about my last two opponents. I want a super fight.
“Had a chip on my shoulder against [Alexander Gustafsson]. Fighting [Anthony] Smith, [Thiago] Santos, Dominick [Reyes]? I’m having a hard time event talking sh*t to this last dude. They all say the same lame sh*t. I want a fight to be excited about.”
Really not sure when I’ll be fighting next, feel like I have nothing to gain by beating Dominic. I’ve actually felt that way about my last two opponents. I want a super fight https://t.co/Z3QTEpu2yr
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 23, 2019
Had a chip on my shoulder against Gus. Fighting Smith Santos Dominic??? I’m having a hard time even talking shit to this last dude. They all say the same lame shit.. I want a fight to be excited about
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 23, 2019
Jones, who is coming off a split decision win over Thiago Santos in July, continued taking shots at the light heavyweight division while seemingly discounting potential contenders like Reyes, Johnny Walker, Corey Anderson or other fighters he hasn’t faced before.
“Where did all the big names in the light heavyweight division go?” Jones asked.
Where did all the big names in the light heavyweight division go?
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 23, 2019
At one point, Jones even joked that he considered taking a substantial break from fighting to allow the light heavyweight division to crown a worthy contender to coax him back into another title defense.
“Sometimes I think about sitting out and just training for the next two years, then coming back and challenge the light heavyweight who’s been the most dominant,” Jones said. “Wouldn’t that be wild?”
Sometimes I think about sitting out and just training for the next two years, then coming back and challenge in the light heavyweight who’s been the most dominant.. wouldn’t that be wild https://t.co/dINaJPatQD
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) October 23, 2019
One fight that was mentioned to Jones was heavyweight terror Francis Ngannou, who is currently looking for an opponent while he awaits his shot at the title with reigning champion Stipe Miocic expected to face Daniel Cormier in a trilogy in 2020.
“I feel like that fight is inevitable,” Jones write about clashing with Ngannou.
Jones had previously teased that perhaps he would sit out to wait for the winner of Miocic and Cormier after hinting at a potential move to heavyweight for several years.
For now it appears the light heavyweight champion is going to continue weighing his options while the UFC has remained non-committal on his next opponent even in the wake of Reyes’ win this past weekend.