Jon Jones knows he had a close encounter with Dominick Reyes but he feels the judges got it right.
This past Saturday night (Feb. 8), Jones put his UFC light heavyweight gold on the line against Reyes. The title bout headlined UFC 247 inside the Toyota Center in Anaheim, California. After five rounds of action, Jones was awarded the unanimous decision victory.
Jones Speaks On UFC 247 Win Over Reyes
Some fans and media members scored the fight 48-47 in favor of Reyes. Jones told reporters during the post-fight press conference that he showcased why he’s a notch above others at 205 pounds (h/t MMAFighting.com).
“I wasn’t always confident that I was winning the fight,” Jones explained. “I was confident that I wasn’t going to be giving up or slowing down. Greg Jackson said to me, ‘Jon, you may need to win this fifth round to win.’ And that heart of a champion said, ‘No problem, coach. I got that. I can do that for you. I can leave it all out there.’
“I think I displayed the difference between a champion and an extraordinary contender. He had all the tools. But something special happens when it’s time for the champion to present himself. You guys saw it tonight in the fifth round.”
This was the third successful title defense in Jones’ current reign as the light heavyweight king. Before the bout with Reyes took place, Jones had been targeting Corey Anderson. “Bones” told reporters that he expects Anderson to defeat Jan Blachowicz in their rematch on Feb. 15.
As for Reyes, time will tell what’s next. While “The Devastator” showed how much of a credible threat he is at light heavyweight, an immediate rematch might elude him depending on what the UFC wants to do. Reyes will be pleased to know that UFC president Dana White isn’t ruling out a second fight.
Did Jon Jones deserve having his hand raised at UFC 247?