Search icon

MMA

12th Apr 2019

Jon Jones calls out middleweight Israel Adesanya

Jack O'Toole

UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones has called out Israel Adesanya ahead of his interim middleweight world title fight against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236.

Adesanya [16-0] put together back-to-back wins over Derek Brunson and Anderson Silva to propel him into a title fight with Gastelum in the co-main event of UFC 236 and Jones, who defended his light heavyweight strap with a unanimous decision win against Anthony Smith last month, has called for the New Zealander to jump up a weight division and fight him.

The 29-year-old said that he still has the entire middleweight division to go through before contemplating a fight with Jones but he did seem receptive to the bout when the possibility of a fight between the two was put to him by MMA Fighting.

“It does tickle my loins,” Adesanya said. “It does make me feel some type of way. I like challenges. [Jones] is the GOAT right now, right? I’ve already killed one GOAT, I’m hunting the next.”