Jon Jones is no longer the UFC light heavyweight champion. On Monday, Jones vacated the title that’s been largely synonymous with his name for the last nine years following months of stalled negotiations with the UFC.
What does his exit from the 205-pound title picture mean? What about Jones’ future with the UFC? And where does the light heavyweight division go from here? Let’s break it all down.
The implications for Jon Jones and the UFC
Monday’s news shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention. Jones and the UFC have been locked in a standoff over his future for the past four months. Jones even went as far as to request his release from the promotion back in May — a request which was swiftly declined. It was only a matter of time, and it’s not surprising a resolution was finally reached when it did.
Advertisem*nt
The result of UFC 252’s main event was always a wildcard here. Had Daniel Cormier beaten UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic on Saturday, there were signs that the post-fight conversation would’ve shifted to a potential Cormier-Jones trilogy fight at heavyweight. Even despite Cormier’s talk of retirement, it’d be an easy sell to get “DC” aboard — and the reality is that a Cormier-Jones trilogy is exactly the type of blockbuster mega-attraction that would have coaxed the UFC and Jones back to the negotiating table. Miocic may be the heavyweight GOAT, but his promotional power and lack of history with Jones unfortunately don’t carry that same weight.
The biggest point of contention for Jones has obviously been — and continues to be — money. He reiterated as much Monday on Twitter. Jones believes he’s due a conversation about renegotiating his contract for a trip up to heavyweight. The UFC disagrees. And for four months the two sides have been playing a slow burning game of chicken. But the broader and more important takeaway from this stretch: “Bones” has been consistent about the direction he wants to take his career. Monday’s news salvo was the clearest indication yet — the light heavyweight chapter of Jones’ career is over. That’s a guarantee. If Jones does fight again, it’s not going to be at 205 pounds.
Just had a really positive conversation with @Ufc. Sounds like there will be negotiations for my next fight at heavy weight. All good news, the weight gaining process begins.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 17, 2020
The timing makes sense. At age 33, with almost a decade of title wins behind him, Jones simply has nothing left to accomplish in his old stomping grounds of 205 pounds. That cupboard is bare, and probably has been for a while. Similar to Jones’ last few fights, every 205-pound title defense from now until the end of Jones’ career would’ve merely been to preserve his legacy, rather than bolster it. Even the Dominick Reyes rematch, which was the frontrunner for Jones’ next assignment, had similarly one-sided stakes.
Prizefighters usually have about a decade of high-level performances in them, and Jones has been at this championship grind in the UFC since 2011. At age 33, he’s still young, but he’s long in the tooth in fight years — and we may already have hit his point of diminishing returns. I challenge anyone out there to watch his last three fights against Anthony Smith, Thiago Silva and Reyes, and tell me that’s an equivalent version of the monster who crushed through Lyoto Machida or Cormier with ease.
Advertisem*nt
Yet, however long you think Jones has been teasing a move to heavyweight, it’s probably been longer. As far back as 2013, Jones vowed to jump to heavyweight “within the next two years” to challenge then-champion Cain Velasquez. But this time is different. If there’s one blemish on his in-ring accomplishments, it’s that Jones is one of the few all-time UFC greats to never test himself in a different division. And he knows that. Light heavyweight is full of uninspiring fights, Jones’ recent performances have hinted that he may be past his prime, and the current UFC heavyweight champion is a man who’s roughly around Jones’ size. If ever Jones was going to take the plunge, it had to be now.
Let’s also quickly cross off the idea of Jones moving to Bellator if talks with the UFC once again go south. It’s not happening. The UFC would rather send Jones off into an early retirement than into the outstretched arms of Bellator president Scott co*ker. Jones would instantly be the best fighter in Bellator history and would legitimize MMA’s No. 2 as a competitor to the UFC in a way previously unseen. There’s a zero percent chance of that happening.
The immediate future of the light heavyweight division
This is the most straightforward discussion because we’ve already been given the roadmap.
It’s no coincidence that Jones’ news and the announcement of Reyes vs. Jan Blachowicz came within hours of each other. The details are still being ironed out, but ultimately Reyes vs. Blachowicz will be for the vacant title.
What that means is, at least in the immediate future, the days of light heavyweight being a glamour division for the UFC are over. With all of the biggest stars at 205 pounds out of the picture — Jones, Cormier, and even longtime bridesmaid Alexander Gustafsson are either gone or over the hill — there aren’t many names at 205 pounds that inspire confidence to lead the division into the next era. Still, Reyes’ presence will help to smooth the transition.
Dominick Reyes — and many others — thought he defeated Jon Jones at UFC 247. Jones, however, edged him on the scorecards to retain his light heavyweight belt. (Top photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The fact that many people, including myself, believe he already beat Jones will help the title retain a sense of legitimacy. Just don’t be surprised if the same “fake champ” calls from the MMA populace that Cormier heard for years still hang around in the air. That’s why it’s such a bummer to remember what we lost at UFC 247.
Advertisem*nt
This happened with Georges St-Pierre too. There’s no replacement for a true passing of the torch night from a legend. From both a popularity and legacy standpoint, Johny Hendricks never got the rub he would’ve had he truly beaten St-Pierre. That will be the reality awaiting whoever wins Reyes vs. Blachowicz. It’s not the end of the world, but it does hurt the UFC’s ability to market the division in the short term. It’s a hell of a lot easier to sell Reyes (or Blachowicz) as “The Man Who Beat The Unbeatable Champion” rather than “The Man Who Just Kind Of Picked Up Jon Jones’ Leftovers.”
Still, you have to wonder whether Jones’ departure opens the door for a dark-horse like Jiri Prochazka to come in and take over. Or what about the wildcard addition of Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, who announced his return to 205 pounds on Monday? Without Jones, Cormier, or recent Bellator defector Corey Anderson, every stud wrestler the light heavyweight division had is gone. The top 10 looks like a strikers’ paradise. Suddenly, anything feels possible.
Also, a small fun fact to note: Monday’s decision marks the first day since the heyday of Pride FC that the UFC is unable to say with certainty that the most talented active light heavyweight in the world fights under its banner. With Jones or Cormier, it was always inarguable. But can any of us really say with conviction than Reyes or Blachowicz are demonstrably better than two-division Bellator champion Ryan Bader?
Is this the end for Jones’ career?
It isn’t. Everything I’ve heard indicates as much. Jones still wants to compete — it’s simply about making sure the dollars make sense. Still, negotiations working out with the UFC are never a given. On the off-chance this is the end for Jones, what a bizarre end it would be. It’d certainly be one of the more unforgivable sins the UFC has ever committed — allowing a consensus top-2 fighter of all-time to walk away at age 33 simply because you’re unwilling to compensate him when he’s begging for his toughest challenge in years. To borrow a phrase from an old colleague, that, ladies and gentlemen, would be the very definition of promotional malpractice.
But the signs are promising. Jones indicated late Monday that he and the UFC had resumed negotiations. As long as he stays in the USADA testing pool, Jones will be free to return at a moment’s notice.
Jon Jones is likely to move up to the UFC’s heavyweight division next, after vacating the light heavyweight belt. (Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
For now, the UFC isn’t in a hurry, and luckily neither is Jones. We’re talking about a man who once refused to fight Chael Sonnen on short notice, after all. Jones isn’t going to approach any major career decision with a half-measure. My best educated guess is this: Miocic and Ngannou rematch at the end of 2020 or in early 2021. Miocic-Ngannou 2 is a ridiculously marketable fight with a highly compelling storyline, and Ngannou might actually murder someone if he’s passed over again in the heavyweight pecking order. In the meantime, Jones spends the next six months bulking up and becoming a proper heavyweight.
Then? Well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be shocked if Jones gets the winner. It makes too much sense for all involved. If Miocic beats Ngannou again, do you really think the UFC would put on Miocic vs. Curtis Blaydes or Miocic vs. Derrick Lewis rather than revisiting Jones? When in doubt in MMA, follow the money. And after Miocic-Ngannou 2, regardless of what happens, the money leads back to “Bones.”
Advertisem*nt
Make no mistake, things could get derailed again in the coming months. Nothing is certain in MMA until the contracts are signed, and there are still a thousand ways this can go awry. But if you’re a fight fan who’s always wanted to see what Jones is capable of against the big boys, Monday’s slew of announcements should have you very excited. Heavyweight Jones has never been this close to a reality.
(Top photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
