Jon Jones Thanks Conor McGregor For UFC 200 Slot
Originally, UFC featherweight champion the “Notorious” Conor McGregor was scheduled to headline July 9’s blockbuster UFC 200 card from Las Vegas, Nevada in a highly-anticipated rematch against Nate Diaz, the man who submitted him in a welterweight bout back at March 5’s UFC 196.
Coming off of his first Octagon loss, McGregor apparently wanted to put his sole focus on his training rather than on the hectic media obligations he had become accustomed to doing on his way to global stardom.
Ultimately, the “Notorious” one opted not to leave his training camp in Iceland and head to Las Vegas for promotional responsibilities, leading UFC president Dana White to pull him from the card, and essentially scrap his rematch with Diaz all together.
Despite the stacked nature of UFC 200, the card was lacking a main event with the company’s biggest star being taken off the card.
Soon after the announcement, however, the promotion announced that reigning 205-pound title holder Daniel “DC” Cormier would finally once again meet former divisional kingpin Jon “Bones” Jones in the evening’s main attraction.
The two first met back in January 2015 with Jones scoring a clear cut unanimous decision victory. Legal issues later in the year, however, forced the UFC to strip Jones of his title, giving Cormier the opportunity to fight for and win the vacant strap at April 2015’s UFC 187.
Jones has since been reinstated, and was recently victorious in his return bout over Ovince St. Preux, winning the interim title in the process.
“Bones” seemingly couldn’t be any happier with the situation even given the promotional requirements for the massive card. Recently taking to his official Instagram account, the former champion posted a video of him shooting for UFC 200, thanking McGregor in the process:
Will Jones be able to reclaim his title come July?
