Jon Jones nearly broke the internet when he announced he was returning to competition.
Jones vs. Hager
The former UFC Champion would break the news on social media, where he said he was going against AEW, Bellator star Jake Hager in a pro grappling match. However, you can’t believe everything you see on the internet.
Jones had ‘ jumped the gun’ when it came to the announcement. It turns out, nothing was official just yet, with Hager saying the ink wasn’t even on the paper, with terms not laid out.
First of all it’s @AEWonTNT and undefeated @BellatorMMA heavyweight Jake Hager, secondly no terms have been discussed or contract signed. We can talk if terms are right. https://t.co/6ScRt0gNmj
— Jake Hager (@RealJakeHager) November 20, 2021
‘Jack Swagger’ Wants The Smoke
Don’t get it twisted though. Hager wants to bring ‘Bones’ a new challenge. But, it seems as things have gotten quiet since the initial talks sprung up about the grappling match.
Hager has heard nothing but radio silence from Jones recently, but would still love the opportunity to mix it up with one of the best to ever do it.
“I don’t know what’s going on.” Hager said on the ‘Throwing Down’ podcast. “I’m training, I’m ready, as far as I know it’s on, then it got quiet on his end. I don’t know if [Jon Jones] saw my resume, like ‘ooh this is an Oklahoman country boy, I don’t know if I want to wrestle him’. Maybe he saw that I wrestle for AEW and he got a little scared. Everybody wants to work for AEW, so maybe he wants to get a job.
“Jon, come out of hiding, prove that you’re still the GOAT and I’ll put in a good word with Tony [Khan] for you.” (Tony Khan is the president of All Elite Wrestling)
“I work with GOATs every single day Jon. I work with the GOAT of pro wrestling, Chris Jericho. So, I’m like a farmer of GOATs. And I can also wrestle a little bit, I think you want to see that.”
Being Offered Jon Jones
Hager would then touch up on what his first initial reaction was to finding out he may grapple Jones in December.
“I was at dinner one night and got the phone call from my head coach, Josh Crabtree and he said ‘what’s up man, I got a great situation for ya. You should say yes before I even tell you what it is.’ Alright, I love Josh, he’s the man, I’m like yes! He tells me and I’m still like yes, let’s make it happen.
“So, as far as I know, we were waiting on then on to do the negotiations and finalize everything. He jumped the gun a little bit, made that Twitter announcement, we hadn’t had anything signed. I know my response was harsh, but you gotta get my name right and my company name right.”
"Jon, come out of hiding. Prove that you're still the GOAT."@RealJakeHager shares an update with @ReneePaquette & @lionheartasmith on where things are for a rumored grappling match with Jon Jones
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) November 30, 2021
⏬FULL Interview on the Throwing Down podcast⏬https://t.co/1DgtR3ZU0N pic.twitter.com/yKItw2Xq6D
