UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones says he is walking away from mixed martial arts due to poor business offers from the UFC.
Jones has been pursuing a superfight against heavyweight slugger Francis Ngannou and it appeared both men had legitimate interest in the matchup despite UFC president Dana White saying that he didn’t think both men actually wanted the fight. Still, fans and media figured that if the interest in this fight was real, that the UFC would be able to make the fight happen.
On Thursday, Jones took to social media to address the negotiations with the UFC for the Ngannou superfight. Unfortunately, the news is not good. According to Jones, not only is the Ngannou fight dead, but he also says he is walking away from the sport. Check out what Jones wrote on his Twitter below.
Currently in negotiation with @UFC as we speak
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 21, 2020
unbelievable
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 21, 2020
Before even discussing numbers, the UFC was unwilling to pay more for the Francis super fight / for me to move to heavyweight. Said I could possibly earn more in pay-per-view buys.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 21, 2020
It’s been fun you guys, maybe I’ll see you all in a year or two.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 21, 2020
Maybe when they’re ready to do better business I’ll come back, until then health fitness and family.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 21, 2020
I should’ve worded that differently, I actually think these guys do great business. Right now things just aren’t where I want them to be.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 21, 2020
Clearly Jones was not happy with the state of the negotiations he was having with the UFC. Instead of agreeing to a deal he did not have interest in signing, it seems as though Jones is content to walk away while on top of the sport.
Of course, the UFC could always re-open discussions with the Jones camp for a Ngannou superfight. But at least right now, as far as Jones is concerned, the UFC is not making him an offer that he feels comfortable signing.
With Jones, he can stay at light heavyweight and continue to fight tough opponents who aren’t big draws like Jan Blachowicz and Dominck Reyes. Instead of doing that, it appear Jones wants to take on the biggest challenges available and that means a superfight with Ngannnou at heavyweight. But the numbers have to be right, and since they’re not, Jones is walking away instead.
Do you think Jon Jones is actually going to walk away from MMA?