Get ready to have your expectations raised to unfair levels, fight fans.
What do you do when you’ve cleaned out an entire division? For arguably the greatest fighter to ever grace an Octagon, Jon Jones, there was one option that had fans salivating – moving up to heavyweight to try to become a two-division champion.
Jones has beaten pretty much all the top contenders at 205 bar Anthony Johnson and although rematches against the likes of current champion Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson may be exciting match-ups for purists, they may do little to whet the appetite of casual fans and are unlikely to result in PPV success.
Jones watched Stipe Miocic put on a stunning performance in front of his home crowd at UFC 203 to successfully defend his belt against Alistair Overeem.
He appeared to be blown away by Miocic knocking his training partner clean out in the main event and when asked for his thoughts on the champ through Twitter, his response left fans very excited for a superfight some time down the line.
I'm starting to realize the hype is real with that guy. He's legit, I would be the challenge of a lifetime https://t.co/ybke2pAtAC
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 12, 2016
Meant to say it* would be the challenge of a lifetime
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 12, 2016
Haha screw it, saying I works too
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 12, 2016
Before we start getting pumped for a fight that’s not even close to being booked yet, Jones was quick to remind everyone that his future remains in doubt.
Fight fans were given a glimmer of hope thanks to some recent reports and comments from the fighter that his punishment over his failed UFC 200 drug test may be a lot less than the two years he was expected to face when the positive drug test result first emerged.
However, the fighter confirmed that he won’t be back in time to take part in the historic UFC 205 card in November. Jones, a New York native, would have been the perfect man to headline the first card in his home city since the state lifted the ban on the sport earlier this year, but that doesn’t look likely to happen.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 12, 2016
