Jon Jones reacts to fan outcry after dropping retirement hint ahead of UFC return: ‘My bad, I’ll keep fighting’
Undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones has reacted to fan outrage after he dropped the biggest hint yet on his impending retirement from the sport, ahead of an expected fight with former division champion, Stipe Miocic.
Jones, a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight champion, returned from a three-year Octagon hiatus back in March of this year in the main event of UFC 285.
Minting himself as the undisputed heavyweight champion, Jones managed to clinch the vacant heavyweight crown with a spectacular first round guillotine choke win over former interim titleholder, Cyril Gane.
Linked with an immediate fighting return in the main event of UFC 290 during International Fight Week in July of this summer, Jones’ comeback and expected title defense against the returning Miocic has been put on skids, according to UFC boss, Dana White.
Providing an update on his fighting future during last weekend’s broadcast of UFC Fight Night Kansas City, Jones hinted at a showdown with Miocic at an annual Madison Square Garden event for the UFC later this year.
Jon Jones expected to headline MSG event later this year in UFC return
Immediately sending fans and followers of his into raptures with his slew of tweets, notably, onlookers questioned Jones on the mentioning of an incoming retirement from the sport – warranting a response from the Endicott native.
“OK my bad, I’ll keep fighting,” Jon Jones tweeted in response to a Twitter user who asked him to reconsider a retirement.
Addressing Jones’ fighting future at the heavyweight limit, UFC leader, White, confirmed that the organization planned to field a championship fight between the former and the returning, Miocic in the ‘Big Apple’ later this annum.
“As far as I know, everything is good and hopefully we have a fight with him (Jon Jones) and Stipe (Miocic) very soon,” Dana White told assembled media following UFC Fight Night Kansas City. “That’s where we’d like to do it [Madison Square Garden].”
“That was totally blown out of proportion,” White explained. “This is what you guys do. I say something, you blow it way out of proportion. I said all the build-up and the leadup to that fight [with Gane], all this Jon Jones (coverage), then poof – he’s just gone. Then I don’t know what Stipe said, then it turns into f*cking drama. There’s no drama here.”
