Jon Jones, the UFC Heavyweight Champion, is all in on Israel Adesanya’s recent decision to step away from the world of fighting for a bit. Adesanya hinted at taking quite a lengthy break after his unexpected loss to Sean Strickland. It was a fight that really caught everyone off guard, one of those fights that goes down in history as a massive upset. Adesanya didn’t quite look like himself that night in the octagon, which left folks perplexed.
So, to make sense of it all and maybe get his groove back, Adesanya decided to take a break from the fight game. He’s planning to focus on life outside the octagon, maybe even figure out if he wants to make a comeback. And guess who’s cheering him on? None other than Jon Jones himself.
Jones has faced his fair share of highs and lows, both personally and in his fighting career. He knows what it’s like to take a step back; he took a break from 2020 to 2023. So, he genuinely believes that Adesanya’s decision to step back for a while is a clever move. After all, sometimes taking a breather can help you come back stronger.
Jon Jones Backs Israel Adesanya’s Choice for UFC Hiatus
In a recent tweet, Jones reached out to Adesanya with some words of support. Adesanya, the former middleweight champ, had just announced that he’d be taking a break from fighting for a while.
“Hey [Israel Adesanya] I just want to let you know I support your decision to take a break from fighting,” Jones tweeted. “Taking those last three years off was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Always put YOU first brother. Protect your heart, protect your [mind] & spirit. Proud of you Champ.”
Hey @stylebender I just want to let you know I support your decision to take a break from fighting. Taking those last three years off was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Always put YOU first brother. Protect your heart, protect your mimd & spirit. Proud of you Champ.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) October 15, 2023
As for Jones, he made a return to the octagon at UFC 285, where he grabbed the heavyweight belt in a battle against Ciryl Gane. Right now, he’s gearing up for what could be his last fight at UFC 295, set for next month against Stipe Miocic.
Adesanya, on the other hand, had a bit of a rough patch when he lost to Strickland. But before that, he did some great work by winning back the middleweight belt in a rematch against Alex Pereira at UFC 287. Since becoming a UFC champ back in 2019, he’s been incredibly active.
Now, as Adesanya takes some time off from the fight game, Jones is there with some encouragement. It’s a bit of a switch-up from where things were between them just about a year ago.
