Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones dropped a major hint about his fighting future.
Fans haven’t seen the mixed martial arts great inside the Octagon since he defended his 205-pound belt against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020. He vacated his championship in the summer of 2020, announcing his move north of light heavyweight to the heavyweight division.
Fast forward over a year and a half later and “Bones” still hasn’t competed. But, it appears his heavyweight debut is drawing nearer. Jones was recently asked by a fan on Twitter whether he’s been offered a fight or not.
Bones confirmed he hasn’t, however he plans on being in top fighting form this summer. “Nope, but my plan is to be in peak condition come June/ July,” Jones tweeted.
With UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou sidelined for the foreseeable future with a knee injury, fight fans could see Bones fighting for the interim heavyweight strap this summer. UFC president Dana White recently confirmed in an interview with ESPN his willingness to grant Jones an immediate shot at heavyweight gold.
“I haven’t thought about it at all, but yeah, it sounds like something we would do,” White said via MMA Junkie.
“Not until we know what Francis is gonna do or what’s gonna happen, but if that’s the case, if he ends up sitting out for a year, Jon could come right in and fight for a title,” White continued.
Jones Recently Admitted His Last Performance Proved He Was Finished at 205 Pounds
GettyDominick Reyes reacts after his fight against Jon Jones during UFC 247 at Toyota Center on February 08, 2020 in Houston, Texas.
Bones, who is known for his dominance inside the Octagon, was nearly beaten by Reyes at UFC 247. Jones edged the scorecards and won via unanimous decision, however “The Devastator” had much more success in the fight than many would have guessed.
On March 28, Bones took to Twitter to share his thoughts about his scrap with Reyes, and how it proved that he was done at light heavyweight.
“My candle for light heavyweight blew out, it showed in my last fight, instead of being discouraged by a bad performance, I’m stoked about this new season,” Jones tweeted. “New energy. My time at LWH was over, I see that more clear today than ever.”
My candle for light heavyweight blew out, it showed in my last fight, instead of being discouraged by a bad performance, I’m stoked about this new season. New energy. My time at LWH was over, I see that more clear today than ever
Looking toward heavyweight, Jones sees it as his destiny to win gold.
“I’ve been imagining it for over two years now, I genuinely believe winning this heavyweight championship is in my destiny,” Jones tweeted on March 29. “It’s already been written. I just need to keep my nose in the dirt for now and keep working, everything else will take care of itself.”
Jones Has Beaten Some of the Biggest Names in 205-Pound History
Bones has arguably the most impressive resume in UFC history. He is the youngest fighter to ever win a belt in the promotion and has beaten several notable figures.
On his mantel, he’s defeated multiple former 205-pound champions like Daniel Cormier, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Shogun Rua. Jones boasts a professional record of 26-1 with his sole loss coming via disqualification.
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Jon Jones Drops Major Hint About UFC Comeback