It’s been only two weeks since Jon Jones willingly vacated the UFC’s 205-pound championship, but he’s already eyeing several potential fights at heavyweight.
Jones (26-1) took to social media on Monday to express interest in a fight against either current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic or former champion and professional wrestling star Brock Lesnar. Miocic is coming off a title defense against Daniel Cormier earlier this month, while Lesnar is a newly turned free agent from the WWE.
Regarding Miocic, Jones said he should get the next shot over UFC heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou, who has won four in a row but lost to Miocic in 2018.
“Stipe doesn’t want to fight Francis again because the first fight really wasn’t close,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “Looking at it from Stipe’s point of view, fighting Francis again is definitely more of a lose situation than win. Stipe asked for a new challenge, why not fight the light heavyweight [Greatest of All Time]? Besides we’re way closer in size. What’s more exciting than that? By the time he heals up my body weight should be right where it needs to be. This fight lines up perfectly.
“Brock I’ll beatcho (sic) ass too.”
Stipe versus Francis is high risk low reward. Stipe versus myself actually makes a lot of sense for both of us. Now you actually have a super fight. Stipe loses the fight is gone
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 31, 2020
Brock I’ll beatcho ass too
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 31, 2020
UFC president Dana White told TMZ on Monday that he’s open to booking a fight between Lesnar and Jones if Lesnar is “seriously interested” in the fight, which Lesnar has not indicated publicly at this point. White previously has said he considers Lesnar retired from mixed martial arts. He also has said Ngannou will receive the next heavyweight title shot against Miocic.
Earlier this year, Jones, 33, openly discussed retirement, citing disappointment over contract negotiations with the UFC. He has since stated on social media the two sides have re-engaged. He is widely considered the greatest fighter in MMA history.
Lesnar, 43, hasn’t fought in MMA since an appearance against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016. Lesnar won the bout via decision, but the result was overturned because of a failed drug test. He teased a potential return against then-heavyweight champion Cormier in 2018, but ultimately returned to professional wrestling instead.