Jon Jones has been out of the public view lately since he failed an in competition drug test at UFC 214, yet hope are still high that he will return later this year. Having not been given a clear sentence yet due to his failed drug test, it’s entirely possible that we do see Jon Jones return soon, and UFC president Dana White is confident that we will indeed see the true Light Heavyweight champion fight before the end of 2018. With Daniel Cormier winning a second belt this last weekend, and Jon Jones never losing his title inside the Octagon, it seems that now would be the best time for him to come back, and I think I have a few possible opponents picked out.
1. Daniel Cormier
As I mentioned earlier, Daniel Cormier has now become both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight champion, and has cemented his legacy into the record books. However, the one person to ever beat Cormier is still Jon Jones, and it’s fairly obvious that this is the one fight Daniel Cormier will always be chasing after. Everyone wants to see this rivalry settled once and for all, and I think an immediate trilogy fight for either belt would make the most sense.
2. Volkan Oezdemir
Volkan Oezdemir is the consensus number two contender in the Light Heavyweight division right now, and currently has a fight scheduled against the number one in the division Alexander Gustafsson. Granted Oezdemir wins this fight, I think a fight against Jon Jones could be beneficial for both men. Jones is known for needing a warm-up fight after a long layoff, but at the same time Volkan Oezdemir has the punching power to knockout any man on the planet Earth. If the UFC doesn’t want to give Jon Jones an immediate title shot, this fight could make a lot of sense if everything falls into place.
3. Alexander Gustafsson
Alexander Gustafsson has been and always will be remembered as the man who beat Jon Jones, even if the three judges for their 2013 bout didn’t think so. Whether or not he wins his upcoming fight with Volkan Oezdemir, this is a fight than every MMA fan, as well as Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson both want to run back. Jones wants to prove once and for all that he is a better fighter than Gustafsson, so why not make it happen as soon as possible?
4. Stipe Miocic
Stipe Miocic lost his Heavyweight title to Daniel Cormier this past weekend, and in devastating fashion. However, that doesn’t change the fact that he’s the greatest Heavyweight in UFC history, and that he was supposed to defend his title against Jones instead of Cormier. If Jon wants to step up to Heavyweight and tie up loose ends, then I think he should be given the opportunity.
5. Jimi Manuwa
For a while it seemed that Jimi Manuwa and Jon Jones were put on a collision course, both talking trash to each other over who should get the next crack at the title. That honor went to Jones, while Manuwa went on to lose his next two fights. However, that doesn’t mean he’s no longer a factor in the Light Heavyweight division. If Jon Jones needs a tune-up fight before he fights for a belt, then settling his beef with Manuwa could be entertaining for the fans to watch.
6. Anthony Johnson
The last time we saw Anthony Johnson was when he retired from MMA after his loss to Daniel Cormier, but being such a gifted and young athlete, it’s only a matter of time until he comes back. Johnson was scheduled to fight Jones right before he lost his first belt, and many believe that he would have been the man to put an end to Jones’s unbeaten streak. Johnson is another person that Jon Jones has publicly stated he wants to reschedule a fight with, and it’s only fair that the fans get closure in knowing what would have happened all those years ago.
7. Cain Velasquez
I’m not going to lie, it’s unlikely that we ever see Cain Velasquez fight again, but how good would this fight be? One of the greatest Heavyweights of all time against the consensus best Light Heavyweight of all time is bound to sell pay-per-views, and Velasquez being close friends with Daniel Cormier only helps matters. If Velasquez does try to make another UFC run, he’s likely to start it off with the biggest fight possible, and I think that Jon Jones certainly classifies as such.
8. Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold was scheduled to go up a weight class and fight Alexander Gustafsson for an Interim Light Heavyweight belt, but that opportunity fell through when he yet again fell victim to injury. Once Rockhold is healthy though, I can’t think of a bigger fight to make other than Jon Jones. Rockhold obviously wants a crack at the former champion as he’s Daniel Cormier’s best friend, and if an interim title is still the plan, then it would make sense to pit these two former phenoms against each other.
9. Ilir Latifi
Ilir Latifi has become somewhat of a dark horse in the Light Heavyweight division, and if it weren’t for his teammate Alexander Gustafsson being ranked ahead of him, he would likely be next in line for a title shot. There aren’t many ranked fighters in the division that Jon Jones hasn’t already beaten, but Latifi is certainly one of them, and he could prove to be a tough matchup for anybody. This could be an interesting number one contender fight, and with a win either man could establish themselves as the best fighter in the division.
10. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar made a surprise appearance at UFC 226, and it was basically announced that he would fight Daniel Cormier for the Heavyweight title. Not only is this an interesting fight, but if Brock manages to actually win the title, then Jon Jones could easily swoop in a fight him for the belt. The two men have already built up some bad blood towards each other, and Jones wanted to make this fight happen when there wasn’t even a belt on the line. Whether Brock wins or loses against Cormier, a Jones fight could be entertaining, and I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t pay to watch it.
