Everyone has a fighting chance
Jon Jones is fresh off another dominant performance inside the Octagon this time against Anthony Smith at UFC 235 on Saturday night, and his promoter has his eye on a potential next challenger.
Controversial UFC welterweight Colby Covington has made his feelings known after he was overlooked by the UFC for the 170 pound title when the promotion chose to award Kamaru Usman the chance to fight against the champ Tyron Woodley.
With the Ultimate Fighting Championship announcing an interim title fight between lightweights Dustin Poirier and current featherweight king Max Holloway at UFC 236 in April and the rumored bout between fan favourites Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone, a number of highly-ranked 155 pounders are left without a fight, including Al Iaquinta and Tony Ferguson.
The list of light heavyweight fighters left for Jon Jones to beat seems smaller each day and if he is able to defeat Anthony Smith this weekend at UFC 235, it opens the possibility that he’ll move up to the heavyweight division for some potentially high-profile fights including Daniel Cormier, Stipe Miocic, Francis Ngannou and Cain Velasquez.
MMA fans are rejoicing the fact that this weekend marks the Ultimate Fighting Championship debut of the undefeated former One Championship and Bellator MMA welterweight champion Ben Askren.
Jon Jones made some good-humored observations about the former contender’s cannabis ventures and enormous physique.
Cat Zingano has had her fair share of injuries during her time as an MMA fighter including a dislocated jaw, broken ribs and knee injuries, but they all pale in comparison to the pain she went through after she suffered an eye injury courtesy of a high-kick from Megan Anderson at UFC 232 in December.
Israel Adesanya has had a blistering start to his Ultimate Fighting Championship career. Barely a year removed from his promotional debut at UFC 221 last February, he is now 5-0 in the promotion, and set to fight for an interim middleweight title in April.
Tyron Woodley was paying close attention last October as the biggest pay-per-view event in Ultimate Fighting Championship history went down, and came away unimpressed with the blockbuster main event.
Jon Jones is aware that many fans would like to see him face Daniel Cormier for a third time, and that Cormier believers he would fare better against him at heavyweight. Jones is willing to take that fight, but maintains that all the pressure is on Cormier.