Dana White believes Jon Jones deserves immediate title shot when he moves to heavyweight
For years Jon Jones ruled the UFC’s light heavyweight division while cementing his status as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, mixed martial artists of all-time. For all of that, as the former champion who vacated his title earlier this month and announced his plans to move up to heavyweight, UFC President Dana White thinks he should be rewarded upon making the move.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday night following the Contender Series event, White was asked if Jones’ history inside the light heavyweight division would warrant him an immediate title shot in the heavyweight division, and the answer was a solid yes.
“Of course. I mean realistically, Jon Jones is undefeated. He’s never been beat. [Steve] Mazzagatti’s been out of the game for years. I don’t mean to keep beating this guy up, but you know. Jon Jones is undefeated.” (H/T MMA Fighting)
A quick look at Jones’ record will show 26-1 (1 No Contest) with his lone loss being recorded to Matt Hamill at the TUF 10 Finale in 2009, for an illegal strike that Jones, White, and countless others have said was not an illegal strike and referee Steve Mazzagatti was the one to blame for the ruling. In the way White and many others discuss the former light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones is always referred to as undefeated.
Even though the plan is for Jones to move up to heavyweight, Dana White said that he was told that this will be a move that takes time and the former champion will let the UFC know when he’s ready to make his heavyweight debut.
“Last time we talked to Jon Jones, Jon Jones said he was going to take some time and do his things he’s into right now and take some time, and when there’s a right fight, he’ll give us a call.”
The last time Jones competed was in February of 2020 at UFC 247 when he defended the light heavyweight title for the 11th time in his career with a win over Dominick Reyes, a fight that many have debated Reyes won.
