Jan 24, 2022

  • Marc RaimondiESPN Staff Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jon Jones was going to exist in attendance at UFC 270 on Saturday dark. He'd be there, likely close to the Octagon, to scout the heavyweight title unification fight between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane, and the winner would probable be his next opponent.

That was the plan a calendar week prior to the event, those close to him told ESPN. But in the unpredictable globe of arguably the greatest MMA fighter to ever live, things do not always become every bit planned.

"Correct now, I'grand on a perfect preparation routine, don't wanna disturb it for annihilation," Jones told ESPN'southward Brett Okamoto in a text message a few days out from UFC 270. "No demand to flatter these big boys, excited to get the job washed when it's time."

Instead, Jones took to Twitter on Sat to address the fight -- which he publicly deemed lackluster -- and Ngannou, the human who left Honda Center as the UFC undisputed champion after a unanimous conclusion victory.

"At the stop of the day, I'm f---ing them both upwards," Jones tweeted and later deleted.

Jones, the quondam longtime UFC calorie-free heavyweight champion, besides teased retirement and took a shot at Gane, writing he loves how "everyone gets and so impressed with the new guy."

"If this is the Noon of heavyweight fighting, I'm excited about information technology," Jones tweeted. "Got some more records to break."

Former Aureate Male child boxing CEO Richard Schaefer, who is advising Jones in his negotiations with the UFC, is likewise very confident in Jones' chances of chirapsia either Ngannou or Gane.

"The manner [Jones] went about preparing to move up to heavyweight is unheard of in UFC history," Schaefer told ESPN. "He is not chasing a bigger payday and moving up. No. He prepared mentally and physically to be heavyweight champion. It volition exist the biggest night in UFC history."

Equally ever seems to be the case with Jones, this won't be a directly path to a satisfying ending. Ngannou said he tore his correct MCL and damaged his ACL three weeks before fighting Gane. He believes he needs surgery. On top of that, Ngannou is in the middle of a very messy, and very public, contract impasse with the UFC.

play

ane:05

Jon Jones eyeing 2022 return

Jon Jones expects to return to the UFC in the 2nd quarter of 2022 and would like to face the winner of Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane.

Dana White, the UFC president, didn't put the belt on Ngannou after the fight, and did not nourish the postfight printing conference, both of which have become customary for White on major fight nights. Ngannou would take been a free agent had he lost. But past retaining the title, the UFC'due south champions clause kicks in, meaning Ngannou volition nevertheless exist under contract for the bridge of three fights or one year, whichever comes earliest.

Ngannou has vowed to never fight over again on his current contract and has been open virtually his desire to venture into boxing. Information technology's very possible this could be the last time we run into Ngannou in the Octagon as he heads into surgery and potential free bureau in early 2023.

Ngannou said subsequently his victory over Gane he was "pumped" when he won the title from Stipe Miocic in 2021, because Jones was pegged as the next challenger. But things take gone a scrap haywire on multiple fronts.

"Since I won that fight, I never heard about information technology," Ngannou said. "So, at this point I don't really know what is off the table."

If Ngannou will be out of UFC action for an extended period of time, or perchance for good, Jones could pursue an interim title fight with Gane, or former champ Miocic. Miocic has expressed some involvement in a Jones fight. Derrick Lewis could also put himself back in the mix with a win over Tai Tuivasa on Feb. 12 at UFC 271.

Jones and his team fully expect to go the next championship shot after Ngannou vs. Gane.

"We just have to meet how information technology plays out in the next few weeks," Schaefer said.

Jones, 34, has not fought since February 2020, a shut unanimous decision win over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 to retain the UFC light heavyweight title. In August 2020, Jones vacated the light heavyweight belt with an centre toward moving up to heavyweight and going after that title.

Jones was supposed to exist adjacent up for the winner of the title fight between Ngannou and Miocic at UFC 260 last March. In preparation for the movement, Jones bulked up significantly. In September, he said he was 255 pounds and targeting 270 for his heavyweight debut (he would then have to cutting to 265 to make the heavyweight title limit). Those numbers are a far cry from 205 pounds, where Jones has spent the duration of his career.

But Jones butted heads both publicly and privately with the UFC during contract talks after Ngannou became champ. Jones tweeted that an offer in the $8 million to $10 1000000 range would be "way too depression for a fight of this magnitude."

Last May, Jones hired Schaefer as his adviser. Schaefer, who now leads the boxing organization Probellum, has had a friendly relationship with White for years and came into the fold confident he could get a deal done.

The UFC, nonetheless, went in a unlike direction that didn't fifty-fifty include Ngannou, after he informed them he would non be ready in time for that engagement on a brusque turnaround due to a previously scheduled trip back to his domicile in Cameroon.

The promotion booked Gane against Lewis for the interim championship at UFC 265 final August, a fight that Gane won to set up a title unification bout with Ngannou, his former teammate at MMA Manufacturing plant in Paris. The rich backstory between the two men, including Ngannou'southward ongoing feud with Gane'southward omnibus (and Ngannou'due south former mentor) Fernand Lopez, made it like shooting fish in a barrel for the UFC to go on Jones in limbo for another title fight.

Meanwhile, just hours after he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his epic 2013 fight with Alexander Gustafsson, Jones was arrested Sept. 24 in Las Vegas for felony tampering with a vehicle and misdemeanor domestic battery. Jones took a nolo contendere plea terminal month and got off without jail time. It was the latest in a string of exterior-the-cage issues for the legendary fighter that include a felony hit-and-run charge, several DUI arrests and two failed drug tests.

The September arrest got Jones suspended from his JacksonWink MMA gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he has spent his entire, xiv-year UFC career. Although JacksonWink coaches Greg Jackson and Brandon Gibson nonetheless intend to coach him, Jones has also started to visit Fight Ready in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he is working with former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo and coaches Eric Albarracin and Eddie Cha. Jones' next training camp could be split up between Albuquerque and Scottsdale.

play

ii:10

Why is a potential Ngannou-Jones matchup then enticing?

Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping both suspension downwards what they would be excited for if Francis Ngannou potentially faces Jon Jones in a heavyweight title fight.

"He has this God-given ability that'southward 2nd to none," Cejudo told ESPN. "But the crazy thing well-nigh Jon Jones and him coming out here and seeing what nosotros have to offer him, there'due south so much room for him to grow nevertheless. It's a trip. I near experience similar he's get a world gnaw just based on ability. Simply based on his attributes and things like that -- he'southward a winner."

Jones (26-ane, 1 NC) is arguably the greatest UFC champion e'er, in any division. He held the UFC light heavyweight title on and off for about a decade, only losing information technology due to exterior-the-cage issues. Jones' only loss came in 2009 via disqualification in a fight against Matt Hamill that he was absolutely dominating.

The New York native'south résumé is unmatched. He'southward unbeaten in a UFC record 18 straight fights, is tied for the well-nigh championship defenses in UFC history with Demetrious Johnson with 11 and has the most wins ever in UFC title fights with 14. Jones owns wins over sometime or current UFC champions Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira and Daniel Cormier.

With all of those accolades and his popularity, Jones seems like a no-brainer for the next UFC heavyweight championship shot, if the two sides tin come to an agreement. If a deal with Ngannou can be brokered, Ngannou vs. Jones would exist one of the biggest pay-per-view master events of the yr and, with the right promotional efforts, i of the top ones ever.

But again, when it comes to Jones, things don't always go exactly every bit planned. There are still more questions about the future of the heavyweight division, even after Ngannou's win over Gane, and they come straight from the top brass at UFC.

"I don't feel confident in saying Jon Jones is next and not because I think he's unreliable," White told Okamoto final week. "Information technology's because I honestly don't know what Jon Jones wants to do adjacent. I think Jon is gonna watch this fight and he'll decide maybe he doesn't fight at heavyweight. Maybe he goes dorsum and tries to regain the light heavyweight title. I honestly don't know the answer to that question."