Adesanya on Jon Jones: “I’ll hunt him down”

Israel Adesanya (18-0) and Jon Jones (25-1, 1 NC) each have respective title fights scheduled. But that has not stopped them from exchanging barbs. Jones has expressed his intention to move up in weight (perhaps driven by the lack of big-name opponents at light heavyweight), but Adesanya has not ruled out an encounter with the embattled UFC light heavyweight king.

Adesanya is scheduled to fight Yoel Romero (13-4) for the UFC middleweight title, while Jones is slated to defend his belt against Dominick Reyes (12-0). Even so, Adesanya told Submission Radio, “Who gives a [expletive] about weight? … I’ll hunt him down if I have to.”

While Jones moving down to middleweight is of course highly unlikely, Adesanya has expressed willingness to fight Jones at any weight. “I’ve been a heavyweight in boxing, in kickboxing. I’ll do it in again in MMA.”

The mercurial Nigerian has been on a tear, fighting (and winning) seven times in a span of just over a year and a half. Jones, meanwhile, is coming off a decision victory against Thiago Santos; a fight in which many believed Santos deserved the judges’ nod.

Adesanya, due to his physique and technical striking prowess, is thought to be a serious threat to Jones. But it will remain to be seen if the fight can get past the many barriers that the fight business always places.