The feud between UFC president Dana White and Jon Jones escalated on Sunday with Jones stating he was relinquishing the UFC light heavyweight title.
During Saturday’s UFC post-fight press conference, White had more points comments at Jones bringing up his past legal problems when he stated “I tarnished you? You’ve done a very good job of tarnishing you”.
The war of words has lasted throughout the week when White claimed that Jones wanted “Deontay Wilder level money” to fight Francis Ngannou. Jones rebuked those claims stating they never spoke of any financial figures:
At no point did I ever demand anything from you Dana, I simply asked for a Super fight and asked to be compensated for it. You are the one who started talking negotiations publicly and showing the world how much you’ve been withholding from your athletes this whole time.
Hunter and I had a very respectful conversation, I love how you’re trying to paint this picture of me being some angry guy disrespectfully demanding money. And then bringing up my out of the cage affairs to justify under paying me by tens of millions for years.
You’re talking all that big guy stuff about not caring, put your money where your mouth is and release me from that contract.
I’d probably make more in my first boxing match than my next three UFC fights combined. There’s real estate, acting, just kicking it and being a dad. No one needs to put up with Dana‘s lies
On Sunday, Jones announced he was relinquishing his championship and suggested that Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz fight for the title:
Reyes vs Jan For the UFC light heavyweight championship of the world. As of right now, I got nothing to really gain fighting either of them. Let me know if you guys want to set up a day in 2021 for that Izzy fight. Hopefully you guys will be willing to pay by then.
Bones out, when you see me in the streets just call me JJTo the light heavyweight title Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered)
The UFC has not commented on the story, although White noted during the week that Jones recently signed a new contract with the company, so this isn’t a case where he could go fight elsewhere and it’s not like Jones could make anywhere near the money fighting for any other MMA promotion that he would with UFC.
Jones won the UFC light heavyweight title in March 2011 defeating Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 and kept the title for four years before he was stripped of it. That occurred in April 2018 when he was involved in a felony hit-and-run incident leading to Daniel Cormier becoming the 205-pound champion.
Jones defeated Cormier in July 2017 at UFC 214 but the title was returned to Cormier after a pre-fight drug test for Jones came back positive after the fight.
Jones regained the title in December 2018 defeating Alexander Gustafsson after Cormier relinquished the title while holding the heavyweight title simultaneously.
Jones last fought in March where he defeated Dominick Reyes by unanimous decision in a highly-debated fight where many felt Reyes won.
