Influencer and promoter Jake Paul has commented on the ongoing situation surrounding Jon Jones, who was notably absent from the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card.
Jones previously vacated his heavyweight championship last year, choosing to retire rather than face then-interim champion Tom Aspinall. However, upon the announcement of the UFC White House event, the former two-division champion quickly re-entered the testing pool and expressed immediate interest in fighting on June 14.
For several months, rumors circulated about a potential “Bones” vs. Alex Pereira bout at the White House event.
However, when the fight card was released last weekend, Jones’ name was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Alex Pereira, who relinquished his light heavyweight title to pursue three-division glory, is now set to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250.
When UFC CEO Dana White was questioned about Jones’ exclusion from the card, he quipped that “Bones” was retired due to hip arthritis and that the company had never contacted him about fighting at the White House.
Jones, however, alleges that he was indeed in negotiations with UFC management but was “lowballed.” As a result, his potential final fight, which could have taken place on June 14, did not materialize.
Unhappy with Dana White’s remarks, Jones has requested that the UFC release him from his contract if they believe he has nothing more to offer.
Jake Paul Invites Jon Jones to MVP
Jake Paul stated that as soon as Jon Jones becomes a free agent, he is prepared to sign him to an MVP MMA card, promising Jones that he will receive the compensation he deserves. Following the recent Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano press conference, “The Problem Child” told the media:
“Jon [Jones], you’re always welcome to come over to MVP. We’ll get you paid what you deserve.”
MVP’s inaugural MMA event is scheduled for May 16. The main event will feature a five-round featherweight clash between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The co-main event is a heavyweight contest between Francis Ngannou and Philipe Lins. This card will stream on Netflix and marks the streaming platform’s first-ever live MMA broadcast.
After securing top talents like “The Predator” (Ngannou), “Rowdy” (Rousey), and Carano, among others, if Jake Paul’s MVP could potentially bring in Jones as well, a long-awaited showdown between “Bones” and Ngannou could finally materialize, a fight that fans are already eagerly demanding.
