Jon Anik claims he’s ‘Not surprised’ with Jon Jones’ withdrawal from UFC 295 title fight: ‘It was ambitious’
Returning to the commentary booth this weekend for UFC 295, long-time play-by-play lead, Jon Anik has claimed he not surprised by Jon Jones’ withdrawal from a heavyweight title fight with former champion, Stipe Miocic, claiming a second fight this year for the Endicott native was “ambitious”.
Jones, the incumbent undisputed heavyweight champion, was set to headline UFC 295 this weekend at Madison Square Garden, taking on the above-mentioned, Miocic was forced out of his championship defense against the Ohio native this weekend, after suffered a pectoral tendon tear ahead of the bout.
As a result, an interim championship has been introduced into the division, with surging heavyweight contenders, Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall slated to feature in a co-main event clash in ‘The Big Apple’.
Snapping his three-year-plus hiatus from the Octagon back in March of this year, Jones minted himself as the heavyweight gold holder, submitting former interim champion, Ciryl Gane with a stunning opening round guillotine choke submission win.
Jon Anik claims UFC 295 return was “ambitious” for Jon Jones
Sharing his thoughts on Jones’ exit from UFC 295 this weekend, Anik claimed that he was not surprised to learn of his withdrawal, claiming a turnaround twice this year following an extended hiatus was more than “ambitious”.
“[I’m] not surprised, with respect,” Jon Anik told MMA Fighting. “I thought it was ambitious to suggest that Jon Jones after that type of extended layoff would compete at UFC 285 in March and then be able to turn it round again in November. I just thought it was ambitious, with respect.”
“You know how seriously Jon Jones takes all of those championship fights,” Anik explained. “No man, nor woman has won as many title fights as Jon Jones and that really is the only biggest record that actually matters, but I have to wonder aloud, was this injury preventable, had he been in the gym for every minute that he possibly could be dating to that past title [fight] – and II’m not necessarily suggesting that that’s the right recipe for success either – but I’m not surprised that this fight did not necessarily materialize.”
When do you expect to see Jon Jones fight in the UFC again?
