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Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson pounced on Conor McGregor after the Irish superstar suffered the first defeat of his UFC career last month.
Before losing to Nate Diaz, McGregor had not only rated himself above Jones and Johnson as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but assessed the gap as so wide that he should possess slots No. 1 through No. 9. To refute the claim from cageside post-UFC 196, Jones posted a photo on Instagram holding up his index finger with Johnson lingering behind him holding up two fingers.
“So much for being 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9,” Jones wrote.
While the post remains valid in terms of fighting achievements — Jones and Johnson have won nine title fights apiece to McGregor’s two — it has proven way off when it comes to stature in the sport. McGregor’s sudden, supposed retirement Tuesday sabotaged a week schemed to belong to the two best fighters in the world, as Jones and Johnson headline the UFC 197 pay-per-view card Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Jones takes on Ovince St. Preux for the interim light heavyweight championship in the main event, with Johnson seeking his eighth flyweight championship defense against Henry Cejudo in the co-main event. But the two have spent as much time discussing the McGregor drama, which includes UFC President Dana White’s characterization that the flyweight champion was taken off of UFC 200 for not fulfilling media obligations, than their own opponents.
“If the man wants to retire, he can do whatever he wants,” Johnson said. “But it’s a good thing the UFC was like, ‘Yo, if you’re not coming to the press conference, we’re going to have to pull you.’”
Jones wasn’t so quick to praise the promotion.
“Hats off to him for standing up to what he believes is right,” Jones said of McGregor. “At the end of the day, business is business, and the guy obviously has respect himself and his talents.”
Jones’ opinion is informed by his own capricious experiences with the UFC. White criticized Jones mercilessly four years ago when the fighter refused to take a short-notice bout against Chael Sonnen, leading to the cancelation of UFC 151.
The UFC and McGregor are clearly mired in a similar dispute, though all the details are less public. White has sworn in multiple media appearances that money is not the issue, but Jones alluded to the strong suspicion that financials are indeed involved.
“Fights like this will help fighters in the future,” Jones said. “I respect his willingness to fight for what’s right.”
Jones could benefit the greatest from the situation. To replace McGregor’s rematch with Diaz as the main event at UFC 200 on July 9 at T-Mobile Arena, the return of former welterweight champion Geroges St. Pierre is the most cited possibility.
But the easiest might be featuring Jones, who gushed he would “absolutely” take the opportunity if he defeated St. Preux and came out healthy. A rematch with Daniel Cormier, whom assumed Jones’ belt after an indefinite suspension, would make sense, as it was originally scheduled for Saturday before the champion pulled out with an injury.
“He’s had it long enough,” Jones said. “I hope he enjoyed it. It’s time to pay his rental fee and get ... whooped when I finally meet him, maybe at UFC 200.”
Jones vs. Cormier is no longer fighting’s most fascinating feud, though, and neither is McGregor vs. Diaz.
It’s now solidly UFC vs. McGregor, and fighters are taking their sides.
“The UFC needs to start stepping up and doing things like that,” Cejudo said. “If you think you’re higher than UFC, if you think you’re better than all the other fighters, then you should get penalized.”
UFC 197 fighters seem to be getting penalized as much as anybody. Conceivably on Saturday, Cejudo could become the first Olympic gold medalist to win a UFC belt and St. Preux could pull off one of the biggest upsets in history.
And yet if McGregor decided to break the silence he’s so far held, it would receive the most interest.
“A guy like Conor is a fighter,” Jones said. “He is a winner. I don’t think he would want to go out on a loss. I think, if he doesn’t fight again, his legacy is really that Diaz fight. I’m pretty sure he’ll be back.”
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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