Despite saving the UFC from possibly having to cancel or downgrade UFC 197, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has everything to lose in his fight with short-notice opponent Ovince Saint Preux on April 23rd. After UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier was pulled out of the originally scheduled fight with Jones, Saint Preux stepped in and will face Jones for the interim light heavyweight title.

UFC color commentator Joe Rogan spoke with TMZ recently about the bigger picture Jones would likely have to face with a loss against Saint Preux.

“If [Jon] loses, he probably loses that shot [at the title] I would imagine.”
“Hey, I don’t know,” Rogan said … “I don’t know how that works but if [the fight is in] the same weight class and if OSP beats him, I mean it only makes sense that OSP would be the next guy in line for his shot at the title. So it’s a risky fight for Jon in that sense.”

UFC President Dana White has said that the winner of the Jones vs. Saint Preux match will fight Cormier to unify the titles. However, things can always change in the UFC. Just ask Frankie Edgar.