Morning Report: Dominick Reyes: Jon Jones ‘moves to heavyweight because those guys are slow,’ Jones responds

On Monday, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones relinquished his title and posted a potential promotion to the heavyweight division. The announcement does not seem to catch on to the UFC, as the very next day Dana White announced that Dominick Reyes would face Jan Blachowicz for the relegated title as the co-main event of UFC 253 in September. But they are almost the only ones, including Dominick Reyes, who now finds himself in the short term for Jan Blachowicz.

“Aw, come on man!” Reyes told ESPN when asked about his reaction to the announcement. ‘That was my reaction. Like, dear. Seriously? That’s awake. But then it was, albeit, whatever. The show must go on. Either way I fight, both ways I go for the belt. The whole purpose was to get the belt though. It turns out I can not beat Jon right now. But I’ll catch him. I’ll catch him later. ”

Reyes and Jones had a hard-fought fight at UFC 247 in February, with Jones making a unanimous decision that many believe made him happy. Among these include Dana White who scored the offense for Reyes and, until Jones’ dismissal this week, was still adamant that the next fight for Jones should be a rematch. Well, it looks like rematch will never happen and although he was initially surprised by how things shook, in retrospect, Reyes thinks it makes a lot of sense, given how close Jones came to losing his title.

“A little,” Reyes said. ‘It was a bit shocking. But at the same time, not because I try to look at things from the perspectives of other peoples and what they have been through and what leads to what decision they make and when you see it, Jon, I think, really felt in his heart that he that fight won unanimously and he has nothing else to prove in the division. Either that or he is, ‘Hey man, I could really lose my belt to this man. Let’s avoid that and we’ll just leave and move on to heavyweight and make a run for the title. ‘ …

‘He’s moving to heavyweight because those guys are slow, you realize that, right? He can no longer stay with us. After what Thiago and I did to him, he’s like, ‘Man, I have to go upstairs. These guys are getting too hard, they are getting too athletic, they are getting too good. The heavyweights are still long. I can do my thing against them. ‘I think he sees that there are better matchups for him at heavyweight than there are at light heavyweight. ”

Jones, for his part, has dismissed this idea. Yesterday, Jones posted on Twitter his reaction to Reyes’ claims about a rematch.

Reyes will not slap himself because he instead has Jan Blachowicz to take care of him. Blachowicz is on a three-stroke winter streak in the light heavyweight division and is coming off the best performances of his career, a first-round KO of Corey Anderson, and according to Reyes, “Polish power” is a tougher fight for him than a rematch with Jones would have been.

“Jan is a beast, by the way,” Reyes said. “I have been impressed with Jan for many years. I’ve been trying to fight Jan since I beat Cannonier because I respect the boy’s game. He’s a very technical striker, he has more power than Jon. I think he’s a more dangerous fight for me to be 100 percent honest. He is an opponent with a lot of power and has a BJJ black belt. He is very technical everywhere. Jon does not resist and has no power and is not so technical, he is just annoying. ”

If Reyes can get past Blachowicz to claim the lightweight heavyweight title, it will be the first time since 2011 that anyone other than Jones as Daniel Cormier has held the belt. That is an enormous legacy of dominance in the division and one that will independently cast a shadow over the reign of the newly crowned champion. But Reyes is not worried about it. He is just excited for the chance to become champion. And if he gets Jones in line? What better for him.

“At this point, I’m not really giving a sh * t about Jon Jones, to be 100 percent honest,” Reyes said. ‘He’s not relevant in my life right now. That’s what concerns me, who? It does not matter anymore. We will see what the future holds. Here’s what I think: I win this belt, it will make all kinds of hype. Everyone will talk about, ‘You do not have Jon, blah, blah, blah, and Jon will like,’ Yes. Pay per view. Okay, ‘and then we go together. I will be the champion, he will try to get my belt, and I will beat him. Or not and I will never see him again. Either that will happen or it is not. Anyway, I’m still going along and I’m fine. ”

UFC 253 takes place on September 26 at a location yet to be determined.

---

135. Juan Archuleta vs. Patchy Mix to crown new Bellator bantamweight champion.

HW. Dana White: Jon Jones can fight for heavyweight title but only after Francis Ngannou

Chasing dreams. Israel Adesanya is ready to chase Jon Jones to heavyweight.

205. Corey Anderson reveals how horrible health fears eventually led him to Bellator MMA.

The box. Executive worked on Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. fight explains why event was delayed.

---

UFC virtual media dei.

Top finishes by Frankie Edgar.

UFC 253 example.

Road to Bellator 244.

---

Heavy hands. Discussion on Support-DC III, the rest of UFC 252, and Edgar vs. Munhoz.

UFC Unfiltered. Interviews with Frankie Edgar and Pedro Munhoz.

---

Jon.

Rumor is Tony Ferguson.

Then there is this.

This is great.

Ouch.

Nobody wants D-1 Mike Perry.

I have never been more excited for an event. What a promo.

---

Cat Zingano (10-4) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (6-5); Bellator 245, 11 sept.

Juan Archuleta (24-2) vs. Patchy Mix (13-0); Bellator 246, 12 sept.

Carlos Condit (30-13) vs. Hof McGee (19-9); UFC Fight Night, Oct. 3

Rafael dos Anjos (29-13) vs. Islam Makhachev (18-1); UFC 254, 24 Oct.

Anderson Silva (34-10) vs. Uriah Hall (15-9); UFC Fight Night, Oct. 31

Cortney Casey (9-8) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (9-3); UFC Fight Night, Oct. 31

---

Reyes’ interview with Ariel is pretty good. I recommend looking at the whole thing if you do not have it.

Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.

---

---

If you find something you want to see in the Morning Report, save it @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let him know. Follow MMAFighting as well Instagram, join us on Snapchat in MMA Fighting, and enjoy joining us Facebook.