Jon Jones again threatens to leave UFC over feud with Dana White about Ngannou bout
For the second time in less than 10 days, Jon Jones appears to want out of the UFC.
Jones, in a series of Tweets on Thursday night and Friday, called out the UFC and president Dana White and asked to be released from his contract altogether.
Jones made similar comments last week, too, threatening to walk away from the UFC for good after it reportedly wasn’t willing to pay him to jump up to heavyweight for a bout against Francis Ngannou. Those negotiations, he said in a Twitter rant, were “unbelievable.”
He later walked those comments back. That beef, though, appears to be far from settled.
Deontay Wilder money
White this week said that Jones had asked for an “absurd” amount of money for that fight, according to MMA Fighting. While White didn’t reveal a set figure, he said on Friday that Jones had asked for “what Deontay Wilder was paid” for his rematch with Tyson Fury earlier this year.
“I’ll quote him and what he had said to my lawyer. He told my lawyer he wants what Deontay Wilder was paid,” White said, via MMA Fighting.
“I think it was $30 million was what Deontay Wilder was paid.”
Jones wasn’t having it.
Warning: Some of his tweets contain language that is NSFW
If you’re not going to change my contract for the heavyweight move, at least have the decency to be honest with the fans.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
I was over the situation, but I’m not gonna sit back and allow Dana to lie to the fans. I never asked for an absurd amount of money. That’s bullshit
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
Absolute bullshit
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
I’m not going to give up hope the way I’m taking this whole thing is @Ufc don’t want to budget the Jon Jones heavyweight move up right now. They should’ve just said that, lying on me and saying I asked for too much it’s just unfair. That was unnecessary.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
You already let me down a bit by shutting down this Francis Mega fight, don’t add salt to the wound by telling the fans something that’s not the truth.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
White, though, stood by his claims and even offered to pull out both receipts and a lie detector test.
“It’s fun working out in the gym in the morning and seeing tweets from Jon Jones saying I’m lying,” White said Friday, via MMA Fighting. “We have text messages from Jon Jones. It’s not like I can’t prove what I’m saying is true. We have text messages from him, but I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to put his text messages out in the press. I could.
“If Jon Jones wants to sit down and take a lie detector test about who’s lying and who’s not, we can do that, too.”
But Jones kept going on Friday afternoon, even at one point asking to be released from his deal. He also claims that he never asked for $30 million for a fight with Ngannou.
If you’re going to stick to these lies, I’m going to stick to defending myself. Please have your lawyer Hunter Campbell release those text messages.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
Don’t be a fucking liar, my reputation has already taking enough hits. I don’t need this bullshit Dana. I never asked for Diante Wilder‘s numbers. And how about since Diante is making 30 million, we settle for half of that. Since you said I’m the goat and everything.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
I don’t even make half of half of what Diante Wilder makes. If my reputation causes you to undervalue me this much. Just go ahead and release me from my @Ufc contract altogether. I’m sure some promoter somewhere will be more than happy to pick me up.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
And if I wanted to compare money to someone else, I would compare money to my brothers. I see firsthand the way the NFL treats their champion athletes, there’s a huge difference. I’ve kept my mouth shut my entire career.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
Do I make 5+ per fight yes. Should I stick to that number for my super fights? No. If you don’t agree with me you just don’t know business. I certainly didn’t ask for 30, never even threw out a number.
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 29, 2020
Jones defended his light heavyweight title already this year with a win against Dominick Reyes via unanimous decision at UFC 247 in February. He hasn’t lost in more than a decade, either.
A fight between Jones and Ngannou would certainly be entertaining. Ngannou beat Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249 this month with an early KO just 20 seconds into the bout, which marked his fourth straight win.
It’s unlikely that any such fight will take place in the near future. In fact, if Jones’ comments are to be taken seriously, he may not fight in the UFC again at all.
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