Former two-division champion and largely thought-about the best fighter of all time Jon Jones was left off the UFC 250 Freedom combat card deliberate for the White House in June. He got here out of a short-lived retirement as quickly because the announcement was made that the White House would host a UFC occasion.
Jones actively lobbied for the chance. UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged early on that he wouldn’t put Jones on the White House combat card however UFC matchmakers reached out to Jones with potential matchups. Ultimately Jones was not chosen by the combat promotion to compete on the historic occasion.
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Jones went public along with his greivences and accused the UFC of ‘low balling’ with their supply. According to Jones, he minimize his asking value in half however was denied. He additionally requested to be launched from his contract.
UFC analyst, insider and former multiple-time title challenger Chael Sonnen weighed in on the state of affairs and believes the combat promotion didn’t need “Bones.”
“Jon Jones did not choose to take less at the White House card. He chose to get nothing,” Sonnen stated on his YouTube channel. “Terry Brands has a very famous saying, and Jon Jones would have heard it because Jon’s a wrestler. And it’s quite simply this. ‘If you can’t get what you want, you take the next best thing.
“And Jon got here out and revealed that he was prepared to take considerably lower than he was going to get for the [Tom] Aspinall combat. He was prepared to do the [Alex] Pereira combat for $15 million. And proper there was a little bit of a priority for me as a result of the typical fan isn’t going to see $15 million. So, whenever you come to the followers for assist, they’re simply not going to have any sympathy for you,” continued Sonnen.
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“The UFC didn’t need Jon Jones. That is the largest story of this complete factor. Look, the UFC has one model. Jon has a unique model. Somebody is mendacity … But it would not matter who. I imply, we do not have to resolve this. The backside of that is quite simple. The UFC didn’t need Jon Jones. And there’s nothing impolite or merciless about that.
“The UFC has many times wanted Jon Jones, when Jon Jones was even the champion of the world, but they couldn’t have him and we moved on seamlessly.”