Jon Jones’ feet won’t grace the Octagon mat until next July at the earliest but he’s keen on getting his competitive fix elsewhere.
The former long-time UFC light heavyweight champion made his professional grappling debut earlier this month in the main event of Submission Underground 2, where he tapped the legendary Dan Henderson via arm triangle.
Jones wants to continue keeping sharp on the mat by accepting more grappling match-ups throughout the remainder of his United States Anti-Doping Agency and Nevada State Athletic Commission suspensions which rule him out of mixed marital arts competition until next summer.
Bones' is banned from fighting in the UFC until July 2017 but is keeping his competitive eye in https://t.co/N7AUNLdgXF
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 13, 2016
In the wake of Jones’ victory, former interim UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir offered his services to Jones.
“Jon and I are friends and stuff so to compete against him would be fun,” Mir told FloCombat.
Since then, ‘Bones’ has revealed that Mir isn’t the only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who wants a crack at the greatest 205lber of all time.
Man, such a big target on my back. Got all these black belts out to get me. Who's tapping next #SUG3
— BONY (@JonnyBones) December 19, 2016
And he seems to have a point as several decorated grapplers have thrown their hats in the ring to roll with Jones, with the likes of Conor McGregor’s main grappling training partner Dillon Danis, former UFC middleweight champ Luke Rockhold, welterweight standout Jake Shields and BJJ phenomenon Garry Tonon all eager to get their hands on a superstar of Jones’ stature.
beg me.
— Dillon Danis (@dillondanis) December 19, 2016
@jonnybones testing his grappling skills. Let these old men be. U really wanna try this shit 4 real? Im free Jan 29 lets dance @FloGrappling
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) December 12, 2016
I would love the honor to compete against you!
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) December 19, 2016
Who wants to see @Garry_Tonon vs. @JonnyBones bjj superfight? I Hope we both hit the #superduck at the same time, ending in simultaneous KO
— Garry Tonon (@Garry_Tonon) December 19, 2016
