While it’s been known for some time that Jon Jones has been eyeing a move up to heavyweight after vacating his light-heavyweight title earlier in the year, months have now passed without any sign of a concrete plan being outlined for the star.
However, as the year draws towards it’s conclusion new information has now emerged courtesy of ESPN that suggests that Jones will indeed compete for the heavyweight title in 2021.
“The UFC wants Stipe Miocic to defend the heavyweight title against Francis Ngannou in March…” ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reports. “The title fight isn’t a done deal just yet, but that is definitely what the promotion wants, I’m told.
“In a perfect world, the UFC would like for the winner of that fight to defend the belt against Jones in the summer, sources said.”
It’s perhaps the fight most people would have expected, but there have been some rumors at times that perhaps Jones would stay at 205lbs after all, lured in by the temptation of competing against newly crowned champion Jan Blachowicz, and a potential blockbuster showdown with his outspoken rival, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Indeed, even Dana White admitted last week that if he could book one fight in 2021 then it would be Jones vs. Adesanya, but if ‘Bones’ is now fully committed to his heavyweight title push then that match-up seems less likely to happen next year.
Still, it’s a win-win situation for the UFC as Jones debut at heavyweight will be a blockbuster occassion too, regardless of whether it’s Miocic or Ngannou he’ll be fighting for the belt.
