Jon Jones handed UFC belt back to Dana White - 'It's not real'
Jon Jones once gave a title back to Dana White after UFC 197, claiming that he would like to have the actual title as opposed to an interim belt.
Jon Jones is known as the greatest UFC fighter of all time, and considering the accolades he's accrued in his career, his resume speaks for itself - though there was a time when even he declined a title.
Jones has very little left to accomplish in MMA, though a fight with Tom Aspinall continues to hover over him as fans and Dana White await the 37-year-old's decision. While UFC fans clamor for a fight between Aspinall and Jones, the legend has shot down all rumors, at one point posting a comment on social media seemingly aimed at those wanting him to fight the Brit.
Considering how accomplished Jones is at this point in his career, he is very selective with his decisions. That is a trait that he has carried throughout his career, as evidenced by what he did after defeating Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197.
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The two met in April 2016 and it was clear Saint Preux was overmatched. Saint Preux was a fill-in for Daniel Cormier after the latter had to withdraw from the 205-pound title fight due to a leg injury he sustained.
As such, Saint Preux was tabbed to take on Jones for the interim title, and early on, Jones took charge of the fight, en route to a win via unanimous decision. After defeating his opponent, Jones was given the title before he returned to White, claiming he did not want the interim title.
"I don't think I want that belt. It's not the real belt. I want my actual belt back," Jones said at the time to UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan. He then claimed that his fight against Saint Preux was just a way for the company to get a bout in for the star after Cormier's injury.
He added: "Hey, everything's happened for a reason. You know, maybe I was meant to get in here and get a fight out of the way. Definitely took me a while to pull the trigger tonight, and I felt like I used, like, 20 percent of the technique I actually know So, sorry, guys.
"If you weren't satisfied with the fight, I'm sorry. I definitely gave it my best. Like I said, everything happened for a reason. Maybe I was meant to have a fight before beating DC." Although Saint Preux was on the receiving end of a beating from Jones and had watched his opponent essentially discard the title, the American gave Jones his props.
"I just wanted to come out here," he began after the loss. "You know, John was pound for pound the best fighter that ever came through mixed martial arts. And for me to come in there and do what I did, I think I'm pretty proud of myself. You know, I only had three weeks to get ready for the camp. I gave everything I got, and I think I did a pretty good job."
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For now, it remains to be seen who Jones will fight next and if he will answer the call to fight Aspinall. Although the man himself has shot down any notion of a potential fight, White believes that it is only a matter of time before Jones and Aspinall are staring each other down in the octagon.
"The fight is going to happen," White told TNT Sports in late March. "It’s just a matter of when now, getting it signed and done. The fight will happen."
"It’s going to happen," he continued. "It’s done but it’s not done. Not done enough to sit right here now and announce it and give you a date. But the fight is going to happen. It’s just a matter of getting it signed now.”
