Dominick Reyes says he was in talks for a rematch with Jon Jones this fall.
Reyes challenged Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title back in February. “The Devastator” fell short after five rounds of action, losing via unanimous decision. Many believe Reyes deserved to get the nod but one judge even scored the fight 49-46 in favor of Jones.
Reyes Reveals Talks For Jones Rematch Before COVID-19 Crisis
Reyes spoke to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto and revealed that discussions were underway for a rematch with Jones before the coronavirus pandemic.
“Yes, we were talking early fall,” Reyes told ESPN. “We started moving along, moving along, and then [COVID-19]. And that was it.”
Reyes went on to say that there is unfinished business with “Bones” and feels an immediate rematch is in order.
“What I did in our fight, what happened, it was a big event,” Reyes said. “A lot of people talked about it for a long time. They’re still talking about it. I think not just myself, but the people kind of feel cheated with that fight. They want to see it again, see me perform like I did once again. A lot of people think that belt is mine. I agree. So let’s get it.”
The defeat to Jones marked the first loss in Dominick Reyes’ pro MMA career. His record was previously unblemished at 12-0. He was coming off a first-round TKO victory over former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
As for Jones, the win marked the third successful title defense in his second reign as the UFC light heavyweight champion. “Bones” has now defended his gold against Reyes, Thiago Santos, and Anthony Smith.
Whether or not Reyes ultimately gets an immediate rematch remains to be seen. The sports world has hit the pause button due to the COVID-19 outbreak but UFC president Dana White continues to try to push forward. Time will tell what transpires over the next few months.
