Despite UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones best attempts to derail the UFC’s plans by calling for a fight with Daniel Cormier, it seems that Dana White is sticking to his guns that ‘Bones’ should have a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson next.
“Gustafsson’s next in line,” White told The Albuquerque Journal. “(Gustafsson is) the No. 1 contender, he’s waited for this rematch. It’s just one of those things that sucks, to be honest with you.”
According to White, even the current No.2 ranked contender Cormier feels that Gustafsson should fight the champ next, and the UFC president hints that perhaps the 26 year-old is getting a little too big for his britches.
“As soon as (Jones) starts to build some steam and starts to become the star that you think he can be, he comes out and doesn’t want to fight somebody,” White said.
He also suggested that if Jones was looking to build his legacy as one of the best of all time then turning down opponents isn’t the way to go.
“You’re the champion. You’re the pound-for-pound best guy in the world, and he says he wants to be known as the best ever.
“Well, you don’t turn down opponents. You’ve got to fight all the best in the world. You’re the man; everybody’s gunning for you.”
So, the UFC are continuing to publicly pressure Jones to take the Gustafsson fight, but so far that’s a strategy that hasn’t paid dividends and it now appears to be a question of who will blink first in this battle of wills.
