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Jon Jones: “I feel terrible, but it also wasn’t my decision to cancel the whole card

7K views 112 replies 42 participants last post by  Budhisten 
#1 ·


In the immediate wake created by yesterday’s UFC 151 debacle UFC President Dana White blasted Jon Jones and coach Greg Jackson in a conference call, Dan Henderson ensured fans he would be back after recovering from his knee injury, Chael Sonnen called “Bones” a plethora of names, fighters scheduled for the event complained openly, and countless fans cried out in disappointment. However, one of the key players in the agitating affair remained silent on the matter – Jones himself.
The polarizing pugilist has since spoken up to explain his side of the situation, expressing no remorse for declining what would have been a show-saving scrap with Sonnen while offering an apology to the promotional peers and fans affected by the card’s cancellation.
“I signed a contract a long time ago to fight Dan Henderson. That’s what I studied for, and that’s what I prepared myself for. To take a fight with a different opponent in which I would basically have three days of training before traveling and then starting to cut weight I just thought would be the dumbest idea ever. I wouldn’t have been properly prepared,” said Jones in an interview with MMAJunkie. “Chael is completely different fighter. This is war. This is strategy. You have to go in there prepared and know that you did your homework. I wouldn’t be the same warrior if I just jumped in there blindly and was cutting weight while I was trying to prepare for the fight.”
“I definitely apologize to the other fighters on the card. I feel terrible, but it also wasn’t my decision to cancel the whole card. I don’t make those decisions,” he continued. “I apologize to the people that lost money on tickets and travel and things like that. I don’t apologize for my decision, but I do apologize for the way it affected people. I hope people can understand I was just trying to do the best thing for my career.”

Jones also admitted the angry response regarding his role hasn’t fallen on deaf ears, though he remained comfortable in doing what he felt was the right thing for the people he cares about most.
“The criticism does bother me, but I have to stand by my decision. I have to be the man that I am,” Jones explained. “With such large audiences comes great criticism. There will be a lot of scrutiny, but I’ve got to do what makes me happy and feels right to me. At the end of the day, I have to make the best choice for me and my family.”
The 25-year old champion’s closed things out by saying his focus was now on moving forward and preparing to beat Lyoto Machida on September 22 in a more dominating fashion than he did in their meeting last December.
Fiveouncesofpain

Right now i think Jones is getting way, way too much heat for this. Dana did a very good point and blame job here. The UFC isn't a team sport and it's not his job to put together an event. Jones had been prepared for Hendo for a long time, all the media stuff, weight cutting etc. Try to see it from his point of view. Meanwhile Sonnen had just been TKO'd and offered a title fight in a division he had not competed in 7 years. Props to him for accepting but to say his the man with balls of steel is a tad much. The UFC dropped the ball for running a card with only one fight.
 
#2 ·
Personally, I think its a cop out.

He is in fight shape and Chael is not. he's had weeks and weeks of a fight camp, preparing for a wrestler. Yeah, a slightly different style of wrestler but there is a reason why so many people are hating on Jones here and personally, whilst I agree, the UFC are partly to blame, I place 90% of the blame at the feet of Jon Jones and Greg Jackson.
 
#4 ·
I'm blaming both parties a bit but not Greg Jackson. He, along with the other guys from the team voiced out their opinion. Everybody knows him so only his opinion was made public. Danas reaction was a bit too harsh for simply giving advice.
 
#3 ·
Yeah, I agree with Jones. I'm sure, me, and everyone else, would have been happy to see Ellenberger Vs Hieron as the headline for the PPV.



:D

Jones ruined this card. Fighting Chael Sonnen was nothing and as Sonnen said himself, this was the best chance he'll ever have to beat him (although he doesn't really NEED an increased chance). Complete joke. WAR VITOR
 
#5 ·
I would basically have three days of training before traveling and then starting to cut weight I just thought would be the dumbest idea ever.

Sole reason why I'm now a Chael Sonnen fan, Jones is no damn warrior, Bisping,Chael, even damn Kimbo Slice took a fight on short notice. Not a smart decision on Kimbo's part, however Jones would have murdered Chael regardless of what he thinks.

Imagine had Shogun turned down Jones on the New Jersey night?
 
#6 ·
"but I’ve got to do what makes me happy and feels right to me. At the end of the day, I have to make the best choice for me and my family.”"

What about being NOT selfish for a second and help your boss out with this? They ask you for a favor and all you think about is me me me me me.
 
#7 ·
It's Dana's fault for putting together such a shit card with only one fight. Nice scapegoating job too.

Chael and Henderson are completely different fighters. One just dives for takedowns all night, the other likes to stand and bang. The "wrestler" tag is oversimplifying.

Of course Chael took the fight. ANYONE would. It's FOR THE BELT. With NO WORK WHATSOEVER. It's not about balls, he has everything to gain and nothing to lose. If he loses it's because he had no camp. If he wins, he's CHAMP.

It's the other way round for Jones. If he wins, he gets NOTHING except "he just beat a guy without a camp" comments. If he loses he loses everything. And for what? "fans" who would still hate him regardless and dissect everything he says.

Also Chael doesn't need to train specifically for Jones, he does the same damn thing every fight regardless of who he's fighting because that's all he knows how to do, and admittedly is pretty good at it. Jones would need to train COMPLETELY differently for Chael though because he probably wasn't training for a guy double legging him all night.

Why not offer the fight to gustaf, davis, glover or AN ACTUAL LHW instead of some guy with an active twitter? I guarantee you many would jump to accept a freebie title shot.

But no follow the bald demagogue and hate who he tells you to hate.
 
#8 ·
It's Dana's fault for putting together such a shit card with only one fight. Nice scapegoating job too.

Chael and Henderson are completely different fighters. One just dives for takedowns all night, the other likes to stand and bang. The "wrestler" tag is oversimplifying.

Of course Chael took the fight. ANYONE would. It's FOR THE BELT. With NO WORK WHATSOEVER. It's not about balls, he has everything to gain and nothing to lose. If he loses it's because he had no camp. If he wins, he's champ.

It's the other way round for Jones. If he wins, he gets NOTHING except "he just beat a guy without a camp" comments. If he loses he loses everything. And for what? "fans" who would still hate him regardless and dissect everything he says.
Objectively if Jones loses to Chael, wouldn't that mean he would lose to Chael again with a full camp? Chael said it best the better man always wins no matter what. It's not like Chael is gonna KO him out, he is gonna beat his ass for 25 minutes for a decision. He fought,Bader,Evans, and I'm sure he was preparing for Henderson's wrestling.
 
#15 ·
Look the card cancellation isn't technically Jones' fault but the UFC have come to him and said 'look we're in a tricky situation here after all we've done for you can you help us out here' and Jones has said no. Personally I understand to a point but its annoying that in the past Bones has claimed in interviews that he is a compasionate caring honest person - he has even said he is a company man.

This situation has showed him to be a selfish man driven by money. So PLEASE can he drop the good guy act now!
 
#14 ·
Liddle, what difference does it make with Jones fighting someone in 8 days vs the 22nd? He is ready for a fight, he had a training camp etc. If he is willing to fight Chael or whoever on the 22nd? Why can't he do it on the first?

A fight is a fight, but people are looking pass what he said about strategy etc. **** that shit, had Jon Jones not been a greg jackson fighter he would have fought any man on the 1st.
 
#17 ·
The differences between Machida turning down a fight and Jones turning it down is completely different.

Jones was offered an out of shape 185 pounder after having a FULL training camp and was scheduled to fight at the event anyways. Machida was offered a fight with a guy who has choked him unconcious, with 8 days prep time. I'm sure the next time Machida faces Jones he wants to be fully prepared, otherwise he's 0-2 against the champ and we all know what that does to fighters.

I was always half on half off with Bones. Now, I'm off.
 
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#25 ·
You really can't point the finger at one person or organisation here and say "It's his/their fault!"

The reason for UFC 151 getting cancelled has to be split, Jones didn't accept ANY of the fights offered to him on short notice, and the UFC relied too heavily on Jones as a headliner so the rest of the card was basically not PPV worthy in itself.

The compilation of these factors resulted in the mess we're currently in.

While this whole thing made me slightly angry at Jones, I can't solely place the blame and my anger with him. Dana/Zuffa deserves some to :/

Sad day all in all
 
#28 ·
Jones is a great athlete, no doubt about that. But Jones is no fighter. Fighters fight when they are asked to fight. I understand his decision logistically, but I lost respect for him.

Chael Sonnen is a fighter. I never really liked Anderson Silva much, but apparently he offered to step up to try to save the card by fighting another LHW, even though he hasn't trained at all since his fight with Chael. Anderson is a fighter.

"I think I’m a good company guy. The UFC asks me to do anything and I always do it, and I never tell them no for anything. I’ve had to do more marketing than any other fighter because I say no to absolutely nothing. I don’t think most champs are like that" - Jon Jones

Maybe Rashad was right when he said Jones was a phony.
 
#35 ·
I can kinda see Jones' point with his coaches not being there, but still he's a terrible match up for Chael, who wouldn't have had any time to train for Jones and his style unless they got him in there when Hendo first got hurt and planned this whole thing.
 
#41 ·
I agree with the crap card seems to be a lot of that these days. And maybe if DW really really wanted to he could have done something to save the event. But maybe he is making a statement here also, of not to f*** with the UFC on things like this. Kind of a powerplay for the organisations future.
Overall he has brought so much hate upon himself not taking this fight, whether it has a major or minor effect on the finances of his peers its still gona piss them off big time and we can see that from the lauzon statement and other tweets.
 
#43 ·
I think you hit the nail on the head with that one.

Yeah a big part of this is a UFC powerplay i.e. how dare a star go his own way.

And yes, major or minor financial issues, the fighters and fans are going to hate Bones and make him the scapegoat here because of the great blame job by Dana.
 
#45 ·
Dana will always hold a grudge, but he knows he has no leverage or reason to be out to get Jones. He is one of their biggest draws and will be for some time. Considering PPV buys are down from a few years ago and it will continue (with all the free cards and more streaming). All will be fine for Jones.
 
#46 ·
Agreed, Dana tried to hold a grudge against Anderson for his Leites and Maia fights, but two KOs and some major $$ cards, he's back to calling him the best fighter in the world.

At the end of the day, money heals all Dana wounds. He'll hold the grudge passively but he's marketed Bones too much to turn this into a profitless war.
 
#47 ·
Bones was in fight shape, Sonnen is not, Jones should have taken the easy payday and smashed Sonnen's face into the mat, especially with all the shit talking they are doing with each other on twitter. But Bones is so scared to lose.. Stop being a princess Bones. Man up and take the fight because well, you are a fighter.
 
#51 ·
Exactly. I really don't get it. After Hendos knee exploded and he dropped out, if somebody had asked me if I thought Bones would accept a fight with Sonnen instead, I would have thought he would have grabbed it. A chance to squash the fecker who's been slandering him. A relatively easy fight and a fat pay check.
 
#50 ·
I'm a bones fan who is disappointed, he really messed up on this. my number one fighter is anderson, so it goes without sayign I have a dislike for sonnen. I put all that out to say sonnen is right on this. bones is acting bitch-made about it. and he has lost a lot of my admiration, maybe even lost me as a fan all together
 
#52 ·
I don't like Jones. I think declining Sonnen was stupid. But I can't hate him for doing what he thinks is best.

But I can hate him for not being a true MMA fighter and more of a modern business fighter. I have gotten into this sport because of guys like Big Nog, Bj Penn, Chuck, Wandy, Shogun, Randy. Modern times Anderson, Joe Lauzon brings it vs. anyone, JDS, Frankie.

Just a handful of years ago guys fought elite competition twice in 1 night.

Looks like Jones is one of the first to care more about the money and fame more than the essence of fighting. Guys like Randy, Penn, Chuck, Big Nog were never afraid to lose a fight. It isn't about their record at the end of the day. It is about fighting and taking on anyone and doing what you love.

Jon Jones isn't like any of those fighters I mentioned. He is damn good. But the spirit of fighting isn't in him. Money, Fame, and having a belt so more people notice him are his main concerns.
 
#53 ·
Wow I didn't realize how many of our posters train at team quest with Henderson and Sonnen!

Can someone get me Dan's autograph?

How do we know chael is so far out of fight shape? He was helping Dan train and who knows how long or how hard he's been helping Dan. I wonder how long dans been hiding the injury, at least two weeks which is nothing but what if he's been sitting on this for a month. I'm sure it would still be all Jones fault so all the whiners have something to bitch about.

To be clear I think Jones should have took the fight but I'm not angry or going to be childish about it. So many MMA fans have no perspective and act so entitled.
 
#55 ·
Exactly. People need to get a clue and at least wonder why Chael suddenly and randomly started calling out Bones just a month ago out of nowhere.

Yeah he was totally unprepared and out of shape :sarcastic06:
We are not all assuming Chael was out of shape. Hell, he could be in great shape. But he hasn't had a training camp preparing for Bones same way Bones hasn't been preparing for him. As prepared as Sonnen might be, he cant possibly be in better fight shape then Jones.

I just cant believe Sonnen could possibly win the fight, even with a full training camp let alone without. Which kind of implies Jones turned him down on principle... which more annoying then anything else. It would have been awesome seeing Sonnen lose again.
 
#68 ·
He makes it seem as if Chael was in fighting shape and had a gameplan set up already. Nope. He was taking a fight on 8 days notice in a weight class above his own. Those 8 days would have been dedicated to cutting weight and doing media. And unlike Jones, Chael didn't have a long camp already. But whatever. Jones was clearly the only one being disadvantaged by this.
 
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