Tag: Jon Jones

Jon Jones wanted Stipe Miocic fight; ‘strong possibility’ of heavyweight move after UFC 247

Could Jon Jones finally move to heavyweight after UFC 247? He said it’s “absolutely” a real possibility.

Could [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] finally be making his move to the heavyweight division following his next UFC light heavyweight title defense against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247?

Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) said he was ready to pull the trigger for his first fight of 2020, so he definitely sees it on the horizon.

“I think it’s a very strong possibility,” Jones told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Friday’s UFC 247 news conference in Las Vegas. “Absolutely. There’s always going to be someone next. I feel as though I’ve cleared the division and I’m not waiting around. I’m taking new challenges. I’m not sitting on the title. I’m not hiding from anybody. I chose Dominick because he appears to be the best out of all my contenders and I’m just ready to take over the world.”

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Jones will meet Reyes (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC 247, which takes place Feb. 8 at Toyota Center in Houston with a main card set to air on pay-per-view. It will be the third defense in the latest title reign for “Bones,” and one that could give him the UFC record for most championship fight victories (14).

At that point, it would seem fair for Jones to pursue some unique challenges. He said he was ready to do following his win over Thiago Santos at UFC 239 in July, as he claims to have pushed for a showdown with heavyweight king [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] after Miocic took the belt from Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 in August.

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According to Jones it didn’t materialize because of the UFC’s intent to make a trilogy bout between Miocic (19-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and Cormier, so that’s he he ended up fighting Reyes.

“I was trying to get a Stipe Miocic fight and I thought that maybe that would happen,” Jones said. “But instead we have Stipe vs. ‘DC’ 3. But at the moment I was so ready to go to heavyweight and stick my hands in some of those big fellas.”

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UFC 247 faceoff video: Lots of chatter between Jon Jones, Dominick Reyes in first staredown

The UFC 247 title-fight participants got a first look at each other as the on-sale press conference ended with faceoffs

LAS VEGAS – Promotional efforts for February’s UFC 247 kicked off today with tickets going on sale to the public and the key fighters participating in a press conference.

UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) and top contender [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who meet in the main event, were in attendance, as were women’s flyweight titleholder [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), who clash in the co-headliner.

At the conclusion of the press conference, the fighters from the two title matchups came face-to-face for the first time ahead of the Feb. 8 event, which takes place at Toyota Center in Houston and airs on pay-per-view following prelims, likely to air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

Intensity was in the air, and there was lots of talk between the headliners, but everyone involved stayed professional. To see how it all unfolded, watch the video above to see the UFC 247 press conference faceoffs.

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Dominick Reyes says one win won’t be enough against Jon Jones: ‘You have to beat him twice’

Dominick Reyes says he knows he’ll have to defeat Jon Jones not once, but twice, to cement his position as the UFC’s top 205-pounder.

[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] has worked his way up to the top of the light heavyweight ladder and is all set to challenge [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] for the UFC’s 205-pound title.

But the California native admitted that that while he’s backing himself to be the man to dethrone Jones, he knows that one victory over Jones probably won’t be enough. He’ll need to beat him in a rematch, too.

“You can’t just beat Jon Jones one time,” he told Submission Radio. “He’s been champion since almost like the whole length of the UFC light heavyweight division. Regardless of however the fight goes down or whatever, (if) I win the fight, he deserves a rematch no matter what.

“It’s just not going to be enough. I beat Jon Jones and all of a sudden, ‘Oh, it’s a fluke. Oh no.’ Just like always. It’s a reality – it’s just not going to be enough. You can’t just beat Jon Jones one time. You have to beat him twice.”

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Those comments offer a glimpse into Reyes’ mindset heading into the contest, as he looks to break out of the shadows and prove to the world just how good he is. He thinks his skills haven’t yet been fully acknowledged,  either by the fans or by the UFC, which he thinks wanted Chris Weidman to be the next to challenge Jones.

Reyes said he was a little irked by what he thought was a concerted push by the UFC to position the former middleweight champion for a possible shot at Jones, and spoke of his satisfaction of halting those supposed plans with his first-round finish of Weidman at UFC on ESPN 6 in Boston in October.

“I knew it – I knew it the whole time,” he said. “I was like, ‘All right, it’s cool, keep underestimating me. All right, that’s fine. See what happens to your boy. Watch what happens to your boy and then talk to me after the fight.’ That’s how I felt about that one.

“I knew the stakes. I knew what I was in for, and I knew what he brought to the table – and I knew I was better, so I agreed to the fight. And as they started to hype up Chris and Jon, the whole deal, I was like, ‘All right, I see you. Watch.

“It was like, ‘Watch this, and then you’ll really know the truth.’ So, for me it was just like a little more fire, ’cause nobody likes to be disrespected, especially fighters – especially myself. And when you feel like you are kind of being disrespected, that adds a little bit more.”

The victory pushed Reyes into the top contender’s spot for a shot at Jones at UFC 247 on Feb. 8, and kicked off the back-and-forth between the two fighters. Reyes said Jones’ attempts to wind him up came across as a little immature to him.

“His trash talk is brother trash talk,” he explained. “I have brothers, he has brothers. You know when you have a bunch of brothers and you guys are all around and it’s competition there constantly? It’s little jabs, it’s little shots about their biggest insecurities just to mess with them and get them mad, and then they do something and you’re like, ‘Mom!’ It’s the same thing, he’s like a little kid. It’s kind of childish.

“It is what it is. I just think it’s funny, man, because I don’t care. I don’t give a (expletive) what that guy says to me. I don’t care at all what he says to me. Like, bro, you can say whatever you want. Say whatever you want. It’s not gonna help you. It’s not gonna save you. It’s not gonna make me not want to knock you out. It’s not gonna try to make me knock you out more. I’m not dumb. You’re not just gonna (run in going) ‘Arrgh,’ and then catch (me). Come on, man. I thought we were professionals. Let’s go.”

But while he isn’t a fan of Jones’ trash talk, Reyes said the UFC light heavyweight champion does have respect for him, largely because of the threat he poses to his championship reign. And the undefeated contender said he believes he and Jones will serve up a 205-pound classic when they meet in the main event of UFC 247.

“I think he’s treating me with a lot of respect. I think he knows how dangerous I am. I think he knows,” Reyes said. “He’s not taking this fight lightly, man – he’s not. No matter what he says, I’m one of his most dangerous opponents in a while. Thiago was pretty dangerous, and Thiago went out there and fought, but he didn’t have nearly the reach that I have. So I think this is going to be very similar to the (Alexander Gustafsson vs.) Jones 1 (fight).”

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Spinning Back Clique: Is McGregor-Cerrone or Khabib-Ferguson more compelling?

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” react to the latest news, notes and fight bookings, as well as look ahead to UFC on ESPN 7 this weekend.

Show rundown:

  • Finally, we can discuss [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] news that has to do with cagefighting, as the former two-division UFC champion was booked to headline UFC 246 against [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]. But the Jan. 18 fight isn’t taking place at lightweight; it’s taking place at welterweight. So, what exactly is at stake here?
  • It’s happening. … We think. … We hope. For the fifth time, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] has been booked. The 155-pound title fight is set for what should be UFC 249 on April 18 in New York. Will the fifth time be the charm in us finally seeing this fight, and what can we expect from this point on?
  • Whether it’s MMA or grappling, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] just seems off. He was cut early before losing a decision to Nick Rodriguez last week at Polaris 12. Combine that with two devastating knockout losses in his last two MMA fights, as well recent comments that his heart isn’t into fighting anymore, and you’ve got to wonder: Where does he go from here with his combat sports career?
  • UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag], who meets ex-WWE superstar Alberto El Patron this weekend in Combate Americas, got mad at MMA Junkie last week, calling us “click bait” for writing a story highlighting his comments about current UFC light heavyweight champ [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]. “I think I can beat Jon Jones,” Ortiz said. “I think I have a good chance – I really do think I’ve got a good chance.” His words, not ours. So when you hear that, what’s your take on it?
  • UFC on ESPN 7 this Saturday features [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] in a heavyweight main event. And in the co-headliner, [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] fights [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] at strawweight. Of those four fighters, who has the most to gain with an impressive victory?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 5 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above. And make sure to weigh in on McGregor vs. Cerrone in our poll below.

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Tito Ortiz thinks he has a good chance to beat UFC champ Jon Jones

Tito Ortiz thinks he has a good chance to beat one of the greatest fighters of all time, current UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones.

[autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag] has made quite a bold statement.

Speaking to TMZ, Ortiz, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, said he thinks he can beat arguably the greatest fighter of all time, current UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag].

“I think I can beat Jon Jones,” Ortiz said. “I think I have a good chance – I really do think I’ve got a good chance. If people say, ‘Oh, Tito, (expletive), you’re over the hill,’ whatever. Come to my camp. Come train with me. Come wrestle with me. Come do jiu-jitsu with me. Watch my weight training. Watch my biking and stairs that I do. I push myself harder than I pushed myself through my whole career. I’m doing amazing. My mind is in the right place, my body is in the right place.”

Ortiz is scheduled to take on former WWE champion Alberto Del Rio in a 210-pound catchweight bout in the headliner of a Combate Americas pay-per-view event Dec. 7 in Hidalgo, Texas.

The UFC Hall of Famer acknowledged Jones is one of the greatest talents to ever step in the cage, but thinks he has tarnished his legacy with his mishaps in and out of the cage.

“He could be the best ever, but I mean, could have – not anymore,” Ortiz said. “He tarnished his career so many times, so much stuff that he did in and out of the cage it just – God, it bums me out because I love the guy, man. He was one of the best light heavyweights to ever grace the octagon.”

Considering Jones’ accolades, where both guys are in their careers, and the fact Ortiz is almost 13 years his senior, Ortiz’s claim likely will be viewed as absurd.

But Ortiz thinks the key to beating the long and rangy Jones is to press forward and take his weapons away from the outside.

“Come on, why wouldn’t I? Pressure, pressure, pressure,” Ortiz said. “You stay in that angle, the outside reach of him, you’ve got problems with it. You can’t just sit there and play his game.”

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MMA Junkie Radio #3005: Khabib vs. Ferguson, VanZant’s gamble, Jones vs. Reyes (and Adesanya)

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the latest MMA news and notes, including the biggest fight booking of the week.

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On episode 3,005 of the podcast, the guys break down the latest MMA news and notes, with plenty of hot topics to discuss even on a non-event weekend.

The rundown

  • The worst possible outcome has been confirmed, with Walt Harris’ stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, confirmed dead.
  • It seems [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] is on tap. Is there any way this fight doesn’t come together (again)?
  • [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] is fighting out her contract with the UFC. Is this a big gamble on her part?
  • [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is a massive favorite over [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] for their February contest. Is Reyes being given enough respect?
  • Speaking of Jones, what’s with all this [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] talk?
  • [autotag]Floyd Mayweather[/autotag] continues to stay in the news. Should he?

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at AudioBoom, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Jon Jones opens as sizable favorite over Dominick Reyes ahead of UFC title fight

The oddsmakers are thinking “And still” is the most likely outcome of the UFC’s Feb. 8 headliner in Houston.

[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] has voiced his self-belief going into Feb. 8, when he defends his title against [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag].

But he’s not the only one feeling confident. According to oddsmakers, Jones’ next title defense once again will be his fight to lose.

According to BetMGM, Jones (25-1 MMA, 19-1 UFC) is more than a 4-1 favorite to beat Reyes (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in Houston at an event that is expected to be UFC 246. at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Jones opened as a -455 favorite in the fight, according to odds set by BetMGM. The comeback on Reyes, the challenger, is +300. A $100 bet on Reyes would pay out $400 (including the original $100) if he wins. A $100 bet on Jones would pay out about $122 (including the original $100) if he wins.

The only times Jones has been this small of a favorite since he first became a UFC champion were his two fights against Daniel Cormier and second fight against Alexander Gustafsson.

Reyes never has been an underdog in his UFC career. Most recently, he closed as about a 2-1 favorite against former middleweight champion Chris Weidman in Boston. He also has been favored in fights against former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir and former interim title challenger Ovince Saint Preux.

Jones most recently was seen in action in July when he outpointed Thiago Santos to defend his belt in the main event of UFC 239. The 32-year-old Jackson Wink MMA product remains one of the most dominant champions in the UFC, with his lone loss coming by disqualification against Matt Hamill in 2009.

Reyes recently picked up the biggest win of his career. In October, Reyes scored a first-round knockout over former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman in the main event of UFC on ESPN 6. Reyes, 29, is No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA light heavyweight rankings.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship, and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Spinning Back Clique: Is Israel Adesanya inside Jon Jones’ head?

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 4 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” break down the [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]-[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] rivalry, UFC 246’s two title fights in Houston, what’s next for [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] in Bellator and more.

Show rundown:

  • Jon Jones said he’s done talking about Israel Adesanya. But then he went right back to talking about him. So is Adesanya, the UFC’s middleweight champion, in light heavyweight champ Jones’ head?
  • We’ve got two UFC title fights set for February in Houston. Who’s more likely to lose? Jon Jones against challenger [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag], or women’s flyweight champ [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] against challenger [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag]?
  • What should be next for Michael Page in Bellator after his first-round knockout win over another unheralded opponent?
  • Floyd Mayweather said he’s coming out of retirement – and is going to be in business with UFC president Dana White. So what’s it going to be?
  • During Thanksgiving week, what are we thankful for in the world of MMA?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 4 of “Spinning Back Clique” in the video above.

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