Dana White Open To Booking Jon Jones vs. Israel Adesanya After UFC 243
It appears Jon Jones vs. Israel Adesanya could very well happen.
The two continue to trade shots at one another on social media and interviews, and both have called for the fight. Adesanya has said it will be in 2021 at the Raiders’ new stadium in Las Vegas. However, UFC president, Dana White believes it could happen much sooner, like after UFC 243 if “The Last Stylebender” beats Robert Whittaker.
“Those guys have been talking smack back and forth,” White said to Sky Sport New Zealand (h/t MMA Junkie). “If Israel wins and he really does want to fight Jon Jones, that’s a really big fight.”
It would no doubt be a massive fight, especially with everything that has been said between the two. Adesanya even said Jones did not look impressive in his Thiago Sants fight at UFC 239.
“When you see someone fight live — something happens with the filter of the TV. Either makes me shorter or whatever — but when you see someone fight live, they look faster or they look slower,” Adesanya said, speaking on the Ariel Helwani MMA Show. “And homeboy, that’s just not it. He didn’t have it. Yeah my first time ever seeing him in real life. That’s not it. He was fighting a former welterweight and his last fight was against a former middleweight. Again, meh. And he keeps having the same excuses. Meh, meh.
“There’s nothing to write home about. Jon Jones, one thing is he’s been in this game a long time. He’s been in the UFC a long time. He’s getting old. I’m fresh, I’ve only been here just over a year. I’m the new kid, the new dog in the yard. I’m a sophomore, freshman. He’s the senior and that’s why he’s a little bit jealous.
“I saw him live. I’ve seen him. He doesn’t have it, he doesn’t have it. He was great when he was fighting and USADA wasn’t around but man needs to get back on the picograms if he wants to be great again.”
Whether or not the fight does indeed happen after UFC 243 is to be seen. But, Adesanya first has a challenge in front of him in Whittaker.
Would you be interested in seeing Israel Adesanya vs. Jon Jones after UFC 243?
