UFC President Dana White is hoping to finally make a fight between Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya in 2021. The matchup is one of the most anticipated in the sport and many fans thought it would happen much further down the line. But when Dana was asked what fight he would like to see next year, it was the matchup he selected.
Jones and Adesanya have been going back and forth on social media for years. It’s clear that both men can’t stand one another and that a future fight between them is inevitable. However, a host of factors made the idea of the match happening seem slim.
Both Adesanya and Jones compete in separate weight classes. While Adesanya is the current Middleweight champion, his eyes are on UFC light heavyweight gold. Which, is where Jon formerly competed, now having his eyes on the heavyweight division.
Dana on Adesanya vs Jones
Regardless of the variables, fans want to see the fight. And more importantly from a business standpoint, so does Dana White.
“That’s the fight I would love to see,” White told BT Sport in regards to Jones vs Adesanya. “Somebody asked me yesterday if you could make one fight in 2021 – that’s the fight that I picked.”
“Jon Jones and I had the best conversation we’ve ever had about a week ago, and he’s ready,” White said. “He’s ready to come back. His head’s in the right place, and he and I are in a really good place.”
Choosing a Side
Many fighters have weighed in on who they believe would win the fight. While the predictions have been scattered, official vegas odds have Jones as the favorite over Adesanya. Betting sites such as Bovada have Jones at a landslide -550 favorite in the potential bout with Adesanya coming back at +375.
Now all that is left is for the UFC to finally put on the fight.
