The UFC has wasted no time in rebooking their controversial champion into another title fight, and “Bones” will return to action at UFC 235 on March 2 against top contender Anthony “Lionheart” Smith.
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The bout is set to take place in Las Vegas, providing Jones gets through a Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing unscathed. If not, maybe we’ll all be heading back to Los Angeles again…
*Crosses fingers*
There should be no such issues this time around, however, with Jones likely to be cleared without much fuss, and in good time, too.
While Jones is set to start his preparations to face Smith in a few weeks’ time, two other contenders have taken aim at “Bones”.
Celebrity gossip outlet TMZ Sports has all of a sudden became the hub for all UFC light-heavyweight news, and they’ve spoken to Corey “Overtime” Anderson and Luke Rockhold about Jones. And neither man seems too impressed with the newly-crowned champion.
Devout man of God, Anderson says he’s appalled by Jones’ use of the man upstairs as part of his persona, saying the UFC champ is a fake.
“He puts things, ‘Oh, God this and God that,’ but then goes out and does drugs,” shrugged The Ultimate Fighter winner.
“You’re popping steroids and you’re failing your tests. You’re hitting pregnant women and running from the scene. You can’t sit there and mix God and still live that life.”
And while Anderson – who also called for a fight with Jones – said he wasn’t a fan of Jones’ personality, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold just thinks he’s better than the pound-for-pound star, and he’s prepared to back up his words with actions.
“I thought he looked beatable,” said Rockhold, assessing Jones’ title-winning performance over Gustafsson.
“He’s good on the feet. He’s tactical. He adjusts and he fights to his advantages. I like my advantages versus his.
“He’s good everywhere, but I don’t think he’s the most technical on the feet, I don’t think he got the most power.
“I’m a different man at this weight, with the power behind me. So I’m moving up to get after him, so that’s what I’m here for.”
With Jones facing Smith at UFC 235 on March 2, Rockhold won’t get an immediate shot at the belt, but he hinted that he does have a big matchup in the pipeline, and said he plans on making a statement to thrust himself into a title fight later in the year.
“I’ll pick off somebody,” he said.
“You’ll see with my next fight. It’ll be a top fight and I’ll come prove myself.”
And when asked to deliver a message to Jones, occasional male-model Rockhold flashed a winning smile and said: “Hold tight. I’m coming, Princess!”
From being a fight that wasn’t even on the radar a few weeks ago, Jones vs Rockhold is now a fight we simply have to see in 2019.
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