Drawing former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones for his upcoming heavyweight debut is one of the biggest fights in the division, and the possibility of it makes Tai Tuivasa “a bit horny.”
Tuivasa is set to headline the promotion’s first-ever event in France. He’ll meet Ciryl Gane in Paris on September 3. And during fight week, “Bam Bam” had spoken about Jones multiple times.
Talking with TMZ Sports, Tuivasa was asked what made him more excited: fighting Gane or potentially squaring off against “Bones.”
“They both make me a bit horny, but I gotta take care of business this week first and then worry about what comes next,” Tuivasa answered (h/t MMA News).
And for the Gane contest, the Australian mixed martial artist said he planned to “bring the fight” to the French fighter.
“Ciryl’s a great athlete, a great competitor, a really good fighter,” Tuivasa continued. “There’s gonna be a few challenges, but I think he’s got a bit to worry about as well. I’m gonna do what ‘Bam Bam’ does and come to fight. I’m gonna bring the fight, that’s for sure.”
Tuivasa Said He’d ‘Love’ to Fight Jones, Would ‘Knock His Head Off’
Bam Bam must get past Gane in Paris on Saturday should he want a shot at battling Jones for the former 205-pound king’s heavyweight debut. And if he does end up sharing the Octagon with Bones, Tuivasa said at the UFC Paris media day that he’d “knock his head off.”
“I’d love to fight him,” Tuivasa said via MMA Junkie. “I’ve said it before: This is why I do this. One day when I wrap up this whole fighting gig, I want to say I fought this guy and that guy – the best guys. I don’t want to come out (of the sport) and I didn’t have the opportunity to fight the best. So I’d love to fight Jon, and I’d love to knock his head off, as well. That would be pretty cool.”
Tuivasa Called Jones the ‘GOAT,’ Said Heavyweight Was ‘A Different Kind of League’
Bones is universally regarded as one of the greatest fighters ever, and Tuivasa went as far as calling him the “GOAT.” But, Tuivasa also pointed to heavyweight being “a different kind of league” than the division Jones ruled for years.
“Jon Jones is the GOAT,” Bam Bam said. “He’s one of the greatest to ever fight. We all know this.
“But as a heavyweight, no one really knows. I’m sure that he’s still Jon Jones. He’s talented and his skill is great. But heavyweight’s a different kind of league, and we don’t know. We have to wait and see.”
Jones last competed in February 2020 when he defended his light heavyweight championship against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. Bones vacated the belt in summer 2020 in pursuit of heavyweight. And Jones appears ready to finally make his debut, and he’s shown interest in fighting either current champion Francis Ngannou or ex-champion Stipe Miocic.
Bam Bam (14-3) is riding a five-fight win streak. Most recently, he picked up a wild KO win over Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February.
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Potentially Fighting Jon Jones Makes UFC Fighter ‘A Bit Horny’