Jon Jones is currently one of the best fighters in the history of the MMA world and has had 14 successful title defenses and cemented his legacy as one of the best. Jon Jones’ interesting message to Fedor previously leaked as well.
Jon Jones has repeatedly talked about deserving better pay for fighting the likes of UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou. The whole topic of UFC fighters deserving better pay has maintained steam throughout the months. However, it might have affected Jon Jones’ career in the UFC.
Jon Jones has competed for a total of 28 times and has career earnings under $10 million. Despite this, he has been a champion for UFC fighter rights as he believes he and several other UFC fighters have been severely underpaid by the promotion and Dana White.
“I feel like I’m in a really good place,” Jones told The MMA Underground. “MMA feels fun to me again. Obviously, with being out for three years and in a new division, there’s a lot of questions that cause me to stay up long nights, but it keeps me sharp. It’s something that I feel like I didn’t have at light heavyweight towards the end. Towards the end it just felt like another day at the office. This doesn’t feel like another day at the office. This feels very different. The nerves, the anxiety – it’s all back. I do good when I’m under pressure.”
His first opponent in the heavyweight division will be Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), a former interim champion. Jones knows there are challenges there with a fighter like Gane, but also believes the bigger fight for his heavyweight debut would have been against Ngannou.
“It does (take something away),” Jones said. “I feel like Francis is the more intimidating of the two. I feel like just as far as Americans go he’s more known in America. Francis was this big, scary, intimidating man, where Ciryl is relatively unknown.
“Obviously, Francis had the belt. Taking it from him would’ve been nice. … I think the fight that meant the most to me was fighting Stipe Miocic. That’s the fight that actually means the most to me, because Stipe is the greatest heavyweight of all time. I’m not looking past Ciryl Gane at all.”
Jones admits it was a let down to not get a fight with Ngannou, but will have to deal with the reality of challenges that lie ahead.
“My immediate goal is to beat Ciryl Gane and to beat Stipe Miocic,” Jones said, hinting he could leave UFC after fighting Stipe. “After that, it’ll be conversations with the UFC to see what makes sense. But I am guaranteeing the fans at least two more fights out of me.”
