The UFC light heavyweight fight-triangle continues as Daniel Cormier is out of UFC 197 with an undisclosed injury.
Former champion Jon Jones is a few days removed from his probation violation and ensuing incarceration. He’ll now be given several choices by the UFC President Dana White and his decision will say a lot about his current mindset.
Jon can wait for Cormier to heal and fight him in New York City this fall, hope it’s a minor injury that can allow the fight to occur at UFC 200 or take a fight with Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson on 3 weeks notice.
The later is the most difficult but it’s the right choice. Conor McGregor took the same gamble when RDA backed out of their title fight and lost to Nate Diaz, but he gained the respect of the MMA community for being a fighter first.
Jon can do the same by accepting a fight with Rumble. The Rumble fight was scheduled to happen last spring at UFC 187 but Jones had his hit & run, which led to his suspension. Rumble went on to face DC for the vacant title and lose by submission. Since then Rumble has been back to his destructive ways and has put himself back in the title picture.
This would be a way to bring the Cormier-Jones-Rumble feud full circle. Jones would earn his title match, not be gifted one due to reputation and past resume. It’d also keep him active enough to justify sitting out until the UFC card in NYC.
We will see if Dana White and Jon Jones agree with this sentiment.