With the Conor McGregor versus UFC saga leaving MMA’s most popular star off UFC 200, Dana White and the UFC looked to newly-crowned interim light heavyweight champ Jon Jones to rematch Daniel Cormier at their tentpole event in July. The one hangup — he injured his left foot fighting Ovince St. Preux at UFC 197. According to MMAFighting.com, he could be facing up to a six month suspension if his X-ray is positive.
Jones and Cormier were originally supposed to fight for Cormier’s light heavyweight title, a belt that Jon Jones never lost, but was stripped of after a felony hit and run in 2015. Cormier injured his leg before their highly-anticipated matchup at UFC 197, and in stepped St. Preux on short notice. Now, if this X-ray is positive, Jones will be out until October, and Cormier will have to find another opponent to fight.
The interim champion may have a long reign due to a technicality. If Jones is injured, that would mean he would notch two fights in nearly two calendar years, and considering his ring rust at UFC 197, taking another six months off due to injury could put a major hamper in plans to recapture his belt. But then again, this is Jon Jones. Rusty Jon Jones is still the best MMA fighter who has ever walked the planet.
(Via MMA Fighting)