Few people benefit from Jon Jones’ decision to move up to heavyweight, quite like Dominick Reyes. However he feels like Jon is leaving the division to avoid a rematch with him.
Earlier this year, Reyes took Jones to a split decision, the first one in the longtime light heavyweight champion’s career. Despite Dom ultimately losing the fight, fans wanted to see a rematch given how close the fight was. However Jon had set his eyes on a move to heavyweight, choosing to relinquish his title in order to move up in weight. This has resulted in Dominick facing Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title, giving him a massive opportunity to capture gold.
Dominick Reyes Thinks Jon Jones Is Running From Him
Despite the obvious benefits conferred to Dominick Reyes by Jon Jones leaving the division, he was a bit disappointed. Speaking with ESPN, he explained that he was hoping to get an opportunity to face Jon again. However he is glad to fight for the title anyway.
“Aw, c’mon man!” Reyes said, when asked his reaction to Jones’ decision. “That was my reaction. Like, c’mon bro. Seriously? Aw, that’s whack. But then it was like, alright, whatever. The show must go on, you know. Either way I’m fighting, either way I’m going for the belt. The whole goal was to get the belt anyway. It sucks that I can’t beat Jon for it at this time, but I’ll catch him. I’ll catch him later.”
That being said, Reyes is quite disappointed that he will not be facing Jon Jones again. However he was not all that surprised by it. In fact, he thinks the former 205lb king is leaving to avoid a rematch with him.
“It was a little bit shocking. But at the same time, not because I try to look at things from other peoples’ perspectives, and what they’ve been through, and what leads to whatever decision they make. If you look at it, Jon, I think, truly in his heart felt like he won that fight unanimously and he has nothing else to prove in the division. Either that or he’s like, ‘Hey man, I could really lose my belt to this guy. So let’s avoid that and we’ll just vacate and go up to heavyweight and make a run at the title.”
Jon Jones Responds
Jon Jones caught wind of the comments from Dominick Reyes. Taking to Twitter, he responded to the idea that he was scared of a rematch, by pointing to other examples of him rematching opponents, and doing much better. It is safe to say, he was not amused by what Dom was insinuating.
“I literally had to leave it all out there the night I beat Gus, my last fight I ended comfortably scoring points. Gus pushed me to a place I have still yet to see again
“Both DC and Gus faced fatalities in our rematches, now for the first time in my career I’m terrified to have a rematch? If you believe this narrative, slap yourself”
I literally had to leave it all out there the night I beat Gus, my last fight I ended comfortably scoring points. Gus pushed me to a place I have still yet to see again
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 20, 2020
Both DC and Gus faced fatalities in our rematches, now for the first time in my career I’m terrified to have a rematch? If you believe this narrative, slap yourself
— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 20, 2020
Do you think Jon Jones is going to heavyweight to avoid a rematch with Dominick Reyes?
