Does Jon Jones Deserve An Immediate Light Heavyweight Title Shot When He Returns?

By Muk

To put this simply, 100000% yes. Jon "Bones" Jones is perhaps the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, let alone the greatest Light Heavyweight ever. We all know the last two years of Jones' career have been rocky, to say the least, but in my opinion he has more than paid his dues. Being sidelined from the sport, having his every move scrutinized, while embarrassing his family and himself, he has since done all he can to clean up his image in the sport and community.

I understand the steroid speculation is a different story, but I believe in my heart Jon Jones has never juiced, and that could be because I am a huge fan (or was, I don't know how to feel anymore). Part of why people do not believe the reasoning behind Jon Jones positive drug test, is because for the most part, as the UFC's steroid drug-testing has amped up in the last two years, Jones was sidelined with the Hit-and-Run incident, so they speculate he could've flown under the radar for the beginning of his career. I disagree, but again, that's just me. I do believe however, we will find out the truth soon, because when he returns, if he can continue to be the Jon Jones we have been so accustomed to seeing in the Octagon, and do it with no shadow of a doubt that he is clean, then I think that will put the issue to rest. 

Jones is set to return from his 1-year suspension in July, and I expect the winner of DC vs. Rumble next weekend to hold out until July to face "Bones". DC has wanted a rematch with Jones since the moment Jon handed DC his first career loss in September of 2014 at UFC 178, and while the two have clearly struggled to get the rematch to actually happen, there is nothing DC wants more than to get his hands on Jon. As for Rumble, he was the man who Jones was supposed to fight before all of his legal trouble began, way back in May of 2015, and I know that if he beats DC, Jon Jones is the only man he wants to face. 

I saw an article earlier today where all the big names in the Light Heavyweight Division were asked if Jones deserved an immediate title shot this summer, and I was nervous to read what they said, expecting a bit of bitterness and ignorance, but I found it to be the opposite. It seems as if the whole 205-pound division agrees that Jon Jones deserves the title shot, because after all, he is still Jon Jones. His return will be one of the most highly anticipated fights ever, because both DC and Rumble would be as entertaining of a fight as possible. Rumble may be Jones' biggest threat ever, because his KO power knows no bounds, and Bones can't afford to take too many bombs from Rumble. Meanwhile DC and Jon genuinely hate each other and would like nothing more than to take each other's head off. 

I just hope when July rolls around, Jones is ready to go ASAP and we can see him regain the belt that he held for so long, and once again watch him climb the All-Time great ranks. 

These two provide some of the greatest trash-talking I have ever witnessed, and I love when Jon Jones turns on his nice-guy act, and while I don't think he's even remotely as bad of a person as Daniel Cormier claims he is, it is truly hilarious and entertaining. 

This next part is the best part, when the camera is no longer live, they really go at it.