There’s a growing contingent of fighters and analysts who believe UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones should be stripped of the title. After Jones’ recent comments, former two-division titleholder Daniel Cormier joined the calls for the fight promotion to strip Jones of the belt.
UFC matchmakers have been working to put together a title unification bout between Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall but haven’t been able to lock Jones in. UFC CEO Dana White has put a two-week timeframe on booking the fight or the promotion will “quickly move on.”
Two weeks ago, White said Jones had initially agreed to face Aspinall but Jones’ recent comments cast doubt on the matchup ever being made.
“I don’t want to say that I’m retired because fighting’s in my blood,” Jones told the Full Send podcast. “Right now, I could really care less about fighting. I’ve been doing it my whole life at a very high level and when the itch comes back — and if it comes back — then I’ll do it with my whole heart, do it to the best of my abilities.
“But right now, I look around and realize what’s true, what’s real. I see the way people look at me and the way I make people feel and it’s an extraordinary thing. It’s a true blessing. Now my job is to serve that, give that to my fans, be reachable, touchable. Let them know what I have inside. That’s who I am right now. I’ve punched and kicked enough people.”
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Considering Jones remarks, Cormier believes it’s time for the heavyweight division to move on without Jones as the champion.
“It finally feels like we have some sort of idea of what he wants to do going forward,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Maybe it’s just over. Sometimes you just know it’s over… And when you know, you walk away. Unfortunately, he waited so long that it’s going to look like it looks. So, right now it’s time to strip him. Strip him. It’s time to strip him.”
“Ultimately it’s time to strip him. He doesn’t want to fight this guy. It does not sound like he’s going to fight. It’s time to take the belt. It’s time to move on,” Cormier continued.
