Morning Report: Sean Strickland blasts ‘mockery’ Jon Jones, invites Stipe Miocic to train in preparation

Sean Strickland is no fan of Jon Jones.

Earlier this month, UFC 285 saw a heavier returning “Bones” Jones step into the octagon for the first time in just over three years. A first-round guillotine choke submission quickly spelled the end for the top-ranked contender Ciryl Gane, resulting in Jones’ crowning as the new heavyweight champion. Inside the cage, Jones has established himself as an undeniable talent. Outside, however, there are several incidents that have left fans and fighters alike sour on the MMA legend.

Jones has managed to stay out of trouble since September 2021 when he was involved in an alleged domestic violence incident involving his long-time fiancee Jesse Moses in Las Vegas. The charges were dropped later that year, but Jones’ lengthy checkered history still clouds his greatness for the middleweight contender Strickland.

“I guarantee Jon Jones’ wife put up a bigger fight than Ciryl Gane,” Strickland told Helen Yee. “That man came out scared, he didn’t want to f****** be there.

“Let me say one thing about f****** Jon Jones. Greatest fighter in the world, but Jon Jones sucks, you guys. He’s failed the most drug tests, he f****** beat his wife bloody, he hit a pregnant lady and drove off breaking her arms. So, my thing is, yes, you could have been the greatest fighter, but with how many drug tests you failed, it’s not right. Jon Jones should never be allowed to fight in the UFC again. It’s a mockery that they let him fight.

“Stipe [Miocic], bro, please, man. Do it for me,” he continued. “Stipe, if you want to train, come here, I’ll be your punching bag, we can fight every day. Whatever the f*** you need, Stipe. I’m your man. Come train with me. Come to Xtreme Couture. I f****** got you. I’ll wrestle you all day long, dude. All day long.”

Going into UFC 285, Jones made it clear he’d like two specific fights before he was done competing professionally: Gane and former champion Miocic. With the promotion flying Miocic out to sit cageside at the event and all parties are interested. The matchup is hoped to come to fruition in July at UFC 290 during International Fight Week. Whatever the 40-year-old Miocic’s next fight ends up being, it will be his first since losing the title in his March 2021 rematch with Francis Ngannou.

As for the always-outspoken Strickland, “Tarzan” has been longing for a pairing with Brazilian bruiser Paulo Costa since defeating Nassourdine Imavov in January. The one-time title challenger Costa was supposed to fight as recently as UFC 284 last month against Robert Whittaker, but contract negotiations dissolved the bout. With no timetable to share, Strickland now finds himself getting offers for the surging new contender Dricus Du Plessis instead.

“Paulo Costa is the Dillon Danis of UFC,” Strickland said. “The guy don’t f****** fight. The moment he said that I hit my guys up and I was like, ‘Hey, is this legit?’ They hit up UFC and they said that he’s just f****** with you, he has no intention of fighting, he’s in a contract negotiation. So, everything Costa says is full of s***. He has no intention to fight, he’s the f****** Dillon Danis of MMA. He’s a joke at this point.”

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Storytime with Kelvin.

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Emily Ducote (12-7) vs. Polyana Viana (13-5); UFC Vegas 72, April 29

Arman Tsarukyan (19-3) vs. Renato Moicano (17-5-1); UFC Vegas 72, April 29

Maheshate Hayishaer (9-2) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (6-3); UFC Fight Night, May 20

Tim Elliott (19-12-1) vs. Allan Nascimento (20-6); UFC Fight Night, June 3

Eryk Anders (15-7) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (15-6); UFC 289, June 10

I mean, Strickland essentially highlighted the point I made recently about Jones. He’s the undeniable G.O.A.T. at this point… if you don’t care about the PED asterisks. If so then it’s Georges St-Pierre. That’s all to debate anymore.

Thanks for reading!

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