UFC: Dominick Reyes thinks Jon Jones vacated title to avoid rematch – ‘I’m the reason’
- ‘He’s moving to heavyweight because those guys are slow … He can’t keep up with us any more,’ says Reyes
- Former champ ‘Bones’ hits back – ‘for the first time in my career, I’m terrified to have a rematch? If you believe this narrative, slap yourself’
Dominick Reyes will fight Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 253 next month. But in his mind, that’s only because Jon Jones is running scared of him.
“Bones” (26-1, one no contest), who vacated his belt this week ahead of a planned move up to heavyweight, beat Reyes (12-1) in a controversial unanimous decision at UFC 247 in February. But many fans and media, and even those in the UFC commentary booth, questioned the judges’ scorecards in Houston. That victory gave two-time champion Jones the record for most UFC title fight wins (14), but arrived on the back of another questionable decision win against Thiago Santos (21-7).
Jones’ decision to give up his title came after UFC president Dana White said he’d have to rematch Reyes if he stayed at 205 pounds – something “The Devastator” thought clearly played on the former champ’s mind.
“I think his ego won’t let him admit that I’m the reason,” Reyes told ESPN. “I know he doesn’t want to rematch me. It’s obvious; he vacated the belt.
“You don’t give up something you’re proud of. I win the belt, I’m not gonna be like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna give it up. I’m gonna go up to heavyweight’. No, man, you earned that [expletive]. Like why would you just give it up unless you feel like you didn’t earn it?”
