Israel Adesanya could follow Jon Jones to heavyweight

Israel Adesanya thinks it’s about time Jon Jones fully commited to relocating up to the heavyweight division.

Jones (25-1 MMA, 12- UFC) declared on Monday that he’d reached an arrangement with the UFC brass to vacate his light heavyweight championship. Jones indicated that negotiations would get underway to see a extended-anticipated shift up to heavyweight but does not have a debut booked.

Jones to heavyweight has been talked about for decades. It’s in no way completely panned out, but it appears the time soon could get there. 1 of the fights he could be leaving at the rear of at 205 lbs ., though, is from the middleweight champ Adesanya, who has expressed the want to transfer up and struggle Jones when the timing is right.

Jones experimented with a number of situations to set the strain on Adesanya to appear up, but “The Very last Stylebender” said he’d only do it on his terms. If that usually means Jones is no extended there, then so be it.

“Look how very long it took him to transfer up to heavyweight,” Adesanya told reporters, like MMA Junkie, in the course of Tuesday’s UFC 253 media phone. “Finally. He was expecting me to do it straight away, but I hadn’t defended my belt but. I’ve defended my belt two times now, I’m heading to defend it a several a lot more instances and then do what I established out to do. But, yeah, the pot contacting the kettle black on his part. Go set some (expletive) muscle mass on your chopstick legs and go (expletive) struggle Francis Ngannou and view him crack you. I hope he doesn’t, although. Perhaps he does. Who is familiar with?”

Regardless of Jones’ go, Adesanya stated he’s not taking the matchup off the table. Adesanya has mentioned in the past that combating at heavyweight is part of his personal job path, so it is probable which is wherever he could at some point meet Jones.

“One hundred %. It doesn’t transform my designs,” Adesanya claimed. “My plan is still heading forward as prepared. So, yeah, very same detail.”

Very first and foremost, while, Adesanya has the process of defending his 185-pound title towards Paulo Costa. They meet up with in the most important occasion of UFC 253, which takes place Sept. 26 at an unannounced location. The main card airs on pay-for every-look at following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.