UFC president Dana White has revealed Jon Jones has "disappeared" after winning the heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane last month in his first fight since 2020.
The legendary pound-for-pound great was a light-heavyweight throughout his career until a lengthy hiatus that started in 2020 during which time he bulked up to heavyweight. And within minutes of his debut at the weight, he had landed a submission victory over top contender Gane to earn himself the vacant belt.
However, White has now claimed Jones is gone off the grid, with a summertime bout against two-time champion Stipe Miocic reportedly still on the table. Miocic is widely considered to be the greatest heavyweight of all time in the UFC after a record-breaking amount of title fight wins, and would be a new challenge for Jones even at the age of 40.
“Jon Jones came out, made quick work, and poof – disappeared,” Dana White told media members that attended UFC 287 this weekend in Miami. “He is ready to fight – he wants Stipe [Miocic], so we will get it figured out.”
Jones vs Miocic is one of the fights fans are most excited for in the sport at the moment, with many believing that the American has a better all-round game than the relatively inexperienced Gane. They have both shared rivalries with Daniel Cormier, one of the greatest combat athletes in history, and the bout would be a huge interest draw.
Who do you think wins between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
The two-division world champion even called out Miocic on the microphone after his win over Gane, asking the Las Vegas crowd "Ya'll want to see me beat up Stipe?" He added: "One thing I know about the UFC is we give the fans what they want to see. Stipe Miocic — I hope you're training, my guy. You're the greatest heavyweight of all time and that's what I want. I want you real bad."
It's been two years since Miocic last stepped into the octagon, losing by knockout in a rematch with Francis Ngannou, who is in many fans' eyes the true heavyweight champion. The Cameroonian left the promotion due to a contract dispute having never lost the belt following his win over the American and a subsequent defence against Gane.
