MMA Rumors: Jon Jones Return Set At Heavyweight, Awaits Winner Of Miocic-Ngannou Brawl

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has not seen action since February 2020 when he successfully defended his belt against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. However, UFC president Dana White said the wait will soon come to an end and the “Bones” will return to make his debut at heavyweight.

The date of Jones’ return has yet to be settled. This is because it will all hinge on the outcome of the UFC 260 clash between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou. Their fight is scheduled to go down on March 27 at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"It should happen this year," White said when he spoke to TMZ on Friday. "It depends, if that fight with Stipe and Francis goes off before summer, then we can have that fight happen in the summer time."

If the odds of the Miocic vs. Ngannou fight are to be considered, all signs point to a potential Jones vs. Ngannou fight. The Cameroonian is a -155 favorite over Miocic and has a grudge to settle. Both met at UFC 218 in 2018, with the 38-year-old Miocic winning via unanimous decision over Ngannou.

Meanwhile, Jones expressed his interest in facing Miocic on social media in August last year, and this ignited belief that the former lightweight champion is moving up to the heavyweight class.

A clash between Jones and Ngannou was also on the table before. However, nothing got done, with “Bones” reportedly asking for an "absurd" pay, White said in May 2020.

But with the months passing, it appears something positive came out of talks, and this is why White appears to be more confident now. Hence, the countdown to that may start after the UFC 260 main event happening next month.

It has been a colorful run for Jones, who also has his share of problems outside the sport. That included a guilty plea to DWI and a dispute with White regarding compensation. At one point, he threatened to sit out the next couple of years.

But the twist seemed to have gone down when he vacated the light heavyweight title. It was a move that most perceived as his way of jumping to the heavyweight division – something that is now a reality based on White’s revelation.