Ex-Jon Jones Teammate on potential comeback: “waiting till Aspinall wins a few fights”, “Maybe he’ll come back then”

Jon Jones could potentially return to the cage to fight a reigning UFC champion if that fighter in question can string together a few more wins, per a former training partner of Jones.

Keith Jardine was that combatant in question and the former JacksonWink compatriot of Jones’ who touched on several subjects during his appearance on Bowks Talking Bouts.

‘The Dean of Mean’ even had a sparring session with ‘Bones,’ even leading into Jones’ fight with Stipe Miocic last year. When offering up his thoughts on the situation with Jon Jones, where he announced that he was retiring, but is now seemingly eyeing a fight at that targeted UFC White House card next year, Jardine said,

“Yeah, I think Jon’s a genius when it comes to fighting. Honestly, I really do mean that. Yeah, I did some rounds with him. He made me do some rounds with him for one of the times he was fighting Stipe [Miocic] and it was actually fun.”

“It was actually really cool because I actually learned how to box really well after I was done fighting. I worked with Danny Romero, a famous boxer … Actually I got really good at boxing. Something I never really did while I was fighting.”

“I learned how to actually be a real professional boxer. Like I’ve had some professional boxing fights too, but like I’m talking about Danny Romero level. Yeah, man, I was going into Jackson[Wink]. I was dusting people up like people that were; and they were actually telling me I should come back and fight.”

“But I knew it was a difficult thing to conquer this Hollywood world and it would be easy for me to go back. Win some money fighting and make a paycheque that way. But then where would I be in this Hollywood world? But then back to Jon Jones, I think he’s genius, man.”

“Because he was at light heavyweight and he’s the GOAT. He’s never lost, all these things, and he’s fighting these up-and-comers. It’s hard to fight somebody that’s trying to make a name off of you and you have no idea who they are. Especially in the sport of MMA when these up and coming guys are hungry, man.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9PHwHZ670g&t=823s

The Jon Jones mindset and what could get him back into the cage

In further expounding upon his thoughts on the current situation with ‘Bones’ Jones, Jardine continued,

“They [up and coming fighters] got the dog in them and you’re just trying to maintain your position. You don’t have the dog in you and you’re not super; like you don’t even care about this guy you’re fighting. It’s just for the point of fighting. You can make up some beef but like he had real beef against [Daniel] Cormier.”

“He had no trouble [laughs] getting up against him and some of these other things. So what did he do? He went to heavyweight. Why? Because it’s scary. I got to fight Stipe, people that are calling him the GOAT, and that’s scary. It’ll make me train hard. I’m going to go do this.”

“Then he fought another fight and he was going to fight the guy that left, the guy that was so good and all that [Francis Ngannou]. Now it’s like if he’s not passionate about fighting a guy, if he’s just going to do it for the thing then why would he risk everything he’s done for just that fight? Like without having that passion for it?”

“So, I think; I haven’t talked to Jon in a long time. I have no idea what he’s doing, but I think he’s waiting till [Tom] Aspinall wins a few fights and becomes more of a known quantity at heavyweight. Where he’s like he’s the best of this era and all that.”

“Maybe he’ll come back then and fight him because now he’ll have something to prove by fighting him. Now, if he beats him, what? Like it’ll be just what? Like, oh, he won another fight. Who’s the next guy? There’s nothing really in it for him.”