Jon 'Bones' Jones Accepts Chael Sonnen Fight for Fans
Jon Bones Jones, 25-year-old Christian MMA fighter, may have declined a fight against Chael Sonnen last August, but now the two are slated to appear as opposing coaches in the FX network's "The Ultimate Fighter" before their pay-per-view match against one another in April.
Jones is the son of a preacher and is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, who endured a verbal bashing from 35-year-old Chael Sonnen when he declined to face the fighter in the UFC cage two months ago.
"I KNOW you will never fight me. Don't be afraid. But I'll always be the monster in the closet of your mind, little JJ," Sonnen tweeted Jones in August. "[Thirty] min to cement your legacy. Champ or Coward? I make a lot more than you do... Show up in 8 days I'll give you my purse."
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However, Jones declined to take the fight with Sonnen on such short notice after Dan Henderson had to back out of fighting him in UFC 151 due to an injury. While both UFC president Dana White and fans initially expressed disappointment in Jones' decision, it seems the anticipated fight will now take place.
White recently announced to the Los Angeles Times that both Jones and Sonnen would appear as opposing coaches in "The Ultimate Fighter," an FX network reality television series that features two MMA fighters living with one another while cameras follow their training regiment.
Sonnen and Jones will coach the opposing fighters as they each compete for the opportunity to win a contract with the UFC. However, Jones and Sonnen will do more than compete as coaches, they will also face one another in a much anticipated pay-per-view title match in the cage on April 27.
White spoke about his excitement concerning the two fighters finally facing one another after months of strife.
"This should be a good one," White said in a Los Angeles Times report. "Jon has accepted the fight. He knows the fans want to see that fight."
While Jones did not agree that Sonnen deserved to step into the ring with him, he did say that he accepted the fight for fans.
"I think I'm over the fact of whether he deserves it or not, and I'm getting more realistic with the fact that the fans really want it," Jones said.
