Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones made his triumphant return to MMA earlier this month in Las Vegas with a spectacular first-round finish over former interim heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane, capturing the 265-pound strap in the process and reclaiming his spot atop the pound-for-pound rankings.
UFC middleweight contender Sean Strickland is not happy about it.
“Let me say one thing about f****** Jon Jones: Greatest fighter in the world, but Jon Jones sucks,” Strickland told Helen Yee (transcribed by Drake Riggs). “He’s failed the most drug tests, he f****** beat his wife bloody, he hit a pregnant lady and drove off breaking her arms. So, my thing is, yes, you could have been the greatest fighter, but with how many drug tests you failed, it’s not right. Jon Jones should never be allowed to fight in the UFC again. It’s a mockery that they let him fight.
Jones is expected to make his first heavyweight title defense against former division champion Stipe Miocic, who has not competed since getting his clock cleaned by Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 roughly two years back. Strickland recently invited the Cleveland firefighter to train at Xtreme Couture as part of his UFC comeback.
“Stipe [Miocic], bro, please, man. Do it for me,” Strickland continued. “Stipe, if you want to train, come here, I’ll be your punching bag, we can fight every day. Whatever the f*** you need, Stipe. I’m your man. Come train with me. Come to Xtreme Couture. I f****** got you. I’ll wrestle you all day long, dude. All day long.”
Jones vs. Miocic is tentatively scheduled for UFC 290 this July in Las Vegas.