Dominick Reyes and Jon Jones probably won’t be getting too buddy-buddy at any point in the near future.
It will have been three full years come Feb. 2023 since Jones last stepped foot inside the octagon. The former two-time UFC light heavyweight champion defeated Reyes via controversial unanimous decision on that fateful night in Houston, Tex. at UFC 247. It wasn’t long after that “Bones” decided he was done as the 205-pound kingpin.
The community clamored for an instant rematch because of the bout’s competitive nature, but Jones vacated the title with intentions of debuting in the heavyweight division instead. Reyes presumably would have gotten his wish, considering his follow-up appearance was for that newly vacated title.
Rumors have swirled in recent weeks regarding Jones possibly returning at UFC 282 in December with the current heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and former titlist Stipe Miocic as the top options. Nothing is official, however, thus forcing everyone to continue waiting on the now-35-year-old legend.
“Talk about a guy full of s***,” Reyes told Middle Easy. “He’s a f****** weirdo, man. I don’t like the guy, he’s just weird. He just talks always. Anytime anyone else gets any kind of attention, whether it’s ‘Izzy’ (Israel Adesanya), whether it’s fricking a bantamweight, a featherweight, whoever it is, he wants to chime in like he’s relevant and just talk s***. Anybody’s doing well and they’re speaking about that person, he’s just not cool with it. He’s like, ‘No, I’m the best ever. F*** you guys.’
“Like, okay, Jon, either retire or fight again. You could have that real conversation and either become somebody like a former greatest of all time and have that clout and walk around as that. But your career is over and you’re just gonna be this guy on the sidelines talking s*** about everybody all the time. People are getting tired of you. I feel like everything he’s doing now and he’s done since our fight has tarnished his legacy.”
Despite Jones’ in-cage inactivity, he’s managed to stay in the headlines on several occasions outside of it for better or worse.
Most notably, Jones was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in Sept. 2021 for his classic first bout with Alexander Gustafsson in 2013 at UFC 165. Unfortunately for him, that wound up getting entirely overshadowed by what came hours after the ceremony
Jones was arrested in Las Vegas in the early morning after Hall of Fame night for misdemeanor battery domestic violence, as well as damaging and tampering with a vehicle. The UFC took no action and let the legal troubles of Jones play out on their own. Jones is believed to have separated from his longtime fiancee since and was kicked out of his gym at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
When it came to the early discussions of Jones fighting Ngannou after “The Predator” captured gold in March 2021, negotiations quickly broke down because of the asking prices from both men. In the meantime, Reyes suffered defeat in his aforementioned vacant title bout against Jan Blachowicz before most recently dropping another tough loss to the future and current titleholder, Jiri Prochazka.
“I don’t think he’s gonna fight again this year,” Reyes said. “But then, who knows? I think he’ll start early in 2023. It’s been so long since he fought — since we fought. That whole literally running from me, saying he doesn’t get paid enough to fight me again. The whole deal was a complete joke. Then getting arrested again multiple times and like, dude, make up your mind.
“I don’t know who he’s training with. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t really care, to be honest. It’s just like, either just get on the sidelines permanently or get in the game. What are you gonna do?”
Reyes is now set to have his third bout post-Jones and still seeks an official win on his record since. “The Devastator” has openly expressed his consistent interest in rematching Jones, whether at light heavyweight or heavyweight, but first he’ll look to get through Ryan Spann at UFC 281 on Nov. 12 in Madison Square Garden.
“He’s exciting, he’s Jon Jones,” Reyes said. “He’s the greatest light heavyweight of all time… with an asterisk because he did steroids because he’s a scumbag but whatever. He’s still the greatest of all time, he still beat everyone … ‘technically.’”
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Fancy Sterling vs. Dillashaw preview.
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Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses what will be biggest factor in the Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev UFC 280 main event?
Hope so.
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Stats.
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Insight.
Jack Della Maddalena (12-2) vs. Danny Roberts (18-6); UFC Vegas 65, Nov. 19
Robert Whittaker (25-6) vs. Paulo Costa (14-2); UFC 284, Feb. 12
I don’t care, I think Jones vs. Reyes 2 would be a great and fun option for both sooner rather than later with all things considered. Still not buying Jones even fighting at heavyweight until an announcement is officially made.
Happy Friday, gang! Enjoy the wild UFC 280 weekend and have a great rest of the Saturday afterward. Thanks for reading!
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