UFC: Jon Jones Calls Israel Adesanya 'Scared', Brushes Off Invites For Potential Fight

Ahead of his clash with Dominick Reyes this coming weekend, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was already asked about his plans after the fight. A bout against Stipe Miocic has been making the rounds in reports for a possible heavyweight showdown, but it seems fans are more interested in the 32-year-old MMA great meeting middleweight champion Israel Adesanya inside the octagon.

Jones, however, is not sold on the idea of fighting 185-pound titleholder, saying the latter is scared of him.

“He’s (Adesanya) scared. That’s all it is. When he says you’ve got to respect the game or the game will humble you, he’s talking about not fighting me now or me beating his ass ‘cause he’s scared.” Jones said as quoted by Damon Marti of MMA Fighting. “When you let a fighter like me know that you’re not prepared to fight me today and you wish you had another year to prepare and all that sh*t, it lets me know your mental state. That’s all I need to know.”

On the reason why he believes the undefeated Adesanya would not stand a chance against him, Jones implied that he is on a league of his own as he took a swipe on the Nigerian style of a fight which is centered on kickboxing.

“At the end of the day, this isn’t K-1,” Jones said. “This isn’t whatever league he used to fight in. I’ve watched him stepping over here, and literally, I’ve watched him with his legs stiff. His swagger is exciting to the fans, but I know a thousand people like him. I grew up with people like him. He doesn’t impress me the way he impresses everyone else.”

Adesanya is scheduled to defend his middleweight belt on March 7 against Yoel Romero at UFC 248.

It appears the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter is more interested in moving up in weight to fight Miocic as he did not dismiss the possibility when asked about it.

“It’s definitely a possibility,” Jones said about the Miocic bout as reported by MMA Fighting. “One thing I know for sure, going up to heavyweight would inspire me on a different level, just because there would be so many elements that I’m unfamiliar with.

“Gaining weight. Staying lean and strong. Mainly the weight gaining and understanding how I’m going to perform, and how I’m going to move at the higher weight class.”