Farah Hannoun: I don’t think the UFC bites, but it won’t be smart to relinquish the title, either
Dana White has butt heads with numerous stars in the UFC, so this is nothing new for him. White is also known to move on rather quickly from fighters who choose to retire or threaten not to compete on upcoming cards.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is arguably the greatest fighter of all time, and while he does not pull Conor McGregor numbers, he certainly draws more than the majority of fighters on the roster – especially when he has the right dancing partner.
I think Jones has a right to ask for more money if he’s going to move up in weight and take on one of the fastest rising stars and knockout artists in Francis Ngannou, but if he relinquishes his belt, he’s only harming himself.
The division will move on without him, and if things get eventually sorted with the UFC, he likely won’t have as much bargaining power without the title. If Jones chooses to sit out until he resolves his issue with the UFC, the promotion could come up with an interim belt, but that likely won’t matter for Jones.
There’s no doubt that the relationship between White and Jones has severely soured with both men accusing each other of lying, but this is a problem that can be resolved in due time, especially since White has continuously stated that he thinks Jones is the greatest of all time.
So would he really release him? I doubt it. Just don’t relinquish your title, Jon.