After three years on the sidelines, Jon Jones will finally grace the octagon again at UFC 285. On March 5, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Jones will look to add another feather to his cap as he steps in to face Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title. Jones was champion when he went on his hiatus and now has the opportunity to become champion upon his return.
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In addition to that, ‘Bones’ also signed a new contract that makes him one of the highest-paid athletes on the current roster. Apparently, he is only second to Conor McGregor, according to Jones’ manager. However, the fighter walking into a title fight with a lucrative new contract might not be a great idea, according to one man.
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HOUSTON, TX – FEBRUARY 07: Jon Jones is interviewed by Joe Rogan during the UFC 247 ceremonial weigh-in at the Toyota Center on February 7, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC legend Chael Sonnen explained the Jones situation to Ariel Helwani during a recent segment of ‘The MMA Hour.’ The three-time title challenger evoked the example of Jones to explain the risks of bringing back athletes with big opportunities when they have been unreliable before.
Chael Sonnen’s take on Jon Jones returning to a title fight
Speaking to Helwani on the subject, Sonnen said, “It’s a mistake and we see it all over the place.” ‘The Bad Guy’ then explained in his typical fashion how Jones would have done more damage after he went on his hiatus. Only, he did not know how to. He said, “For him to return at a raise into a world title fight, I’m just sharing with you that it’s a mistake.”
The 45-year-old further elaborated, “The last thing that you want is your champions turning the gun on you. And then, when they make that big bluff, we’ve only got three or four guys in history that it wasn’t bluff. They did it and Jon’s one of the ones that did it…”
He added, “All these years later, still repercussions of what he did to walk in with a raise. You throw a temper tantrum publicly, you take your ball, and go home. You come back with what you want in the exact same opportunity. I’m just sharing for you, people start looking around, and seeing that, becomes a problem real fast.”
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Do you think Dana White will regret bringing Jones back the way he did? Considering the past issues between Jones and the UFC, do you think there’s a chance that something goes wrong and Sonnen’s prediction comes true? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
