Jan Błachowicz Claims Jon Jones Avoided Him at Light Heavyweight
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jan Błachowicz continues to assert that Jon Jones deliberately avoided facing him at 205 pounds, ultimately moving to the Heavyweight division to bypass a potential defeat.
“He ran to heavyweight when I was at my best in the light heavyweight division,” Błachowicz stated in an interview last year, as reported by LowKick MMA. “He knew if he faced me,he would have lost.”
Błachowicz repeatedly sought a fight with Jones while “Bones” held the Light Heavyweight title. Though, he was ultimately forced to compete for the vacant title after Jones relinquished it following a controversial split decision victory over Dominick Reyes in February 2020.
Jones later moved up to the Heavyweight division, where he defeated Ciryl Gane in March 2023 to become the Heavyweight Champion. However,his reign was short-lived,as he was forced to vacate the title due to injuries and issues with USADA (United States Anti-doping Agency). He is expected to return to the Octagon in late 2024 or early 2025.
Sources:
* ESPN: Jon Jones vacates UFC heavyweight title
* Bloody Elbow: Alex Pereira backed to knock out jon Jones by ex-UFC champion who the GOAT ‘ran’ from