Dana White Expects To Work Things Out With Jon Jones Following Financial Dispute Over Francis Ngannou Fight
In recent weeks, UFC President Dana White and current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones have butted heads and gone back-and-forth through the media over a potential bout between Jones and heavyweight knockout artist Francis Ngannou.
The main issue between the two has been financially-based, as Dana White has claimed that Jon Jones asked for an “absurd” amount of money, while Jones claims that he never even had the chance to request a specific number before he was shot down by the UFC. Regardless of the truth, the situation reached a boiling point that saw Jones take to Twitter to claim that he was willing to relinquish his title, while also asking for his release from the promotion.
Earlier today, however, White once again spoke on the situation and it appears as if he expects to eventually work things out with “Bones”.
“You’re not always going to agree on everything,” White said on Eddie Hearn’s Talk the Talk podcast (Transcribe by MMAFighting.com). “Jon Jones and I do not agree on something right now. We’re having a disagreement, but Jon Jones is a partner in this business. Conor McGregor is a partner in this business. The list goes on and on. When you get to that level, when you become a star or a world champion like these guys are, they’re a partner.
“We don’t agree right now on things, and we’re going to fight and we say things, the thing that’s going on in public, and eventually you get to a point where you get tired of fighting and you figure it out. It’s like any other relationship.”
Jones, widely regarded as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, has had his fair share of issues outside of the cage, but he’s been nearly perfect inside of it, as he holds a 26-1-1 professional record. The only loss on his record came in a fight he was clearly winning but got disqualified from and the no-contest came from a fight he won, though the outcome was changed when he failed a drug test.
Recently, Jones has won four-straight fights since returning to competition in late 2018, although he is coming off of two somewhat controversial decision victories over Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes.
Given his dominance at 205 pounds, a move up to heavyweight for Jones has long been discussed and from the outside looking in, it would seem like a fight between him and Ngannou would be worthwhile for both fighters as well as for the UFC.
As of now, however, Jones’ future is still up in the air, and although White feels as if the two will work things out, it remains unclear whether or not a fight between the 205-pound king and Ngannou is of interest to the UFC boss.
