Jon Jones is willing to fight Alexander Gustafsson, just don’t expect him to do so in New York.
Born in Rochester, Jones has a fan base in the state of New York that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) may want to capitalize on. While Manhattan may seem worlds away from Rochester, “Bones” is still expected to draw a significant amount of money in NYC.
Speaking to MMAJunkie.com, Jones said he would be willing to fight Gustafsson next if it ends up being his best option:
“Every fight gets my blood flowing. I know how important it is to never underestimate anyone. I get up for every one. I think the Gustafsson fight is an option for us right now. We’re just going to wait and see. We’re weighing our options right now.”
The catch is, Jones isn’t likely to take on “The Mauler” in Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center.
“To be honest, I love being from New York, but my whole thoughts and dreams of fighting in New York – they’re kind of starting to fade. Looking at it from a business standpoint, it’s not a really good idea to pay 9 percent to the state of New York off the top just for fighting here. With 9 percent of every $1 million, that will add up real quick.”