Interim UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and woman’s bantamweight title holder Miesha Tate have already secured spots on the enormous UFC 200 event in July, but they are already casting their eye towards the promotion’s first ever event in New York City at Madison Square Garden later in the year as well.
Speaking at yesterday’s UFC 200 press conference in NYC, both Jones and Tate indicated that landing a spot on the historic UFC 205 fight card would be another dream come true, and they each had potential opponents in mind for the occasion.
âI would love to beat up on âDC,â and then face Anthony Johnson at Madison Square Garden,â Jones, who was born in Rochester, New York, said.
‘Rumble’ Johnson is currently the No.2 ranked fighter in the division and is coming off two big knockout victories over Jimi Manuwa and Ryan Bader. It’s that massive power in his hands that has left some believing that he could pose some serious problems for Jones, so that would be a good fight for UFC 205, though others are eager to see him move up to heavyweight instead.
Meanwhile, Tate believes that a win over Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 would set her up for a trilogy fight with her long-time nemesis, Ronda Rousey.
“I told everybody I was going to beat Holly and I did, and I’m going to beat Amanda on the 9th, and I’m going to go on, and hopefully I’m going to see Ronda in Madison Square Garden,” Tate said. “That’s going to be great.”
UFC president Dana White wouldn’t comment on the possibility of those fights becoming a reality at this stage tough, indicating that they’ll wait until UFC 200 is over until making any decisions about the card for MSG which will take place in November.