Brock Lesnar to Jon Jones: 'Be careful what you wish for, young man'
If there were grumblings about a possible Jon Jones vs. Brock Lesnar showdown before, the idea for the super fight became a full-blown roar after Jones called out the former UFC heavyweight champion and current WWE Universal champion at UFC 214.
“Brock Lesnar, if you want to know what it feels like to get ass kicked by a guy who weighs 40 pounds less than you, meet me in Octagon,” Jones said shortly after scoring a third-round TKO over rival Daniel Cormier.
The call-out sent social media spiraling and speculating about a possible showdown between two of the biggest stars in the sport.
Whether Jones knew it or not, Lesnar was at home watching UFC 214 and heard exactly what the UFC light heavyweight champion had to say.
“Be careful what you wish for, young man,” Lesnar said, according to the Associated Press.
That simple response has essentially drawn a line in the sand and dared Jones to cross it. Obviously, there are many factors that will have to be overcome before a Jones-Lesnar showdown can be cemented. But it’s clear that these two are interested in squaring off against one another. And that’s good news for WME-IMG, who is looking for a big money fight as Conor McGregor continues to be away from the sport in preparation for his August 26th boxing match against Floyd Mayweather.
With Jones successfully returning from his suspension and reclaiming the UFC light heavyweight title he was stripped of, he’ll likely reclaim his place as the top pound for pound fighter in the world. He’s toyed with the idea of moving up to heavyweight in the past and now he may have found the perfect dance partner for his debut.
Lesnar, who saw his unanimous decision victory over Mark Hunt at UFC 200 turned to a no-contest after Lesnar failed a drug test, was hit with a one-year suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission. He will be eligible to return once he completes his suspension and re-enters the USADA testing pool.
Jones and Lesnar have had a bit of a back and forth in the media over the past week. Jones challenged Lesnar and Lesnar responded by telling the AP “anytime, anywhere” when Jones suggested that Lesnar wouldn’t be interested in a fight with him.
But it certainly looks like things are trending in the right direction for the super fight.