Jon Jones clarifies severity of hip arthritis after ‘private conversation’ sowed doubts of UFC comeback attempt

Former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones issued a statement on a clip showing him declining a wrestling match with Daniel Cormier.

Two-time UFC rivals Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier seemed destined for a trilogy in or out of the Octagon. After two legendary showdowns in the UFC, Jones and Cormier reignited their rivalry during a recent coaching stint on a Russian spinoff of The Ultimate Fighter.

The two former UFC rivals traded barbs during the to-be-released season of ALF Reality 3. Jones and Cormier teased potentially competing in either a boxing match or a wrestling competition in the near future.

But Jones recently declined wrestling Cormier in viral footage in Houston, in which the former two-division champion claimed ‘severe arthritis’ in his hip could lead to a hip replacement. This would likely halt any hopes of a UFC comeback after Jones retired last summer.

Jon Jones comments on viral footage of him claiming ‘severe arthritis’ hindering comeback

In a recent statement to TMZ, Jones spoke after the footage of him declining a wrestling match with Cormier went viral.

“Looks like a private conversation I had at DBX 5 in Houston made its way out into the wild. It happens. Like most fighters, we deal with injuries quietly sometimes and like in my case, for years. A lot of us walk around limping most days, paying the ultimate price for our health,” Jones began.

“If you’re wondering whether it’s true, it is. I’m grateful for all my battle scars, and if I could do it all over again, I absolutely would without hesitation. It’s been what I wake up for in my career every day.

“Even after becoming one of the most accomplished fighters in the history of the sport, my critics still give me grief about slowing down over the past few years. That’s called living to fight another da,y taking the lessons learned and applying them to business instead of the Octagon. It’s called evolution,” Jones continued. “The UFC knows the extent of my arthritis. They also know that if I were to put it all on the line one last time and endure that level of pain, the reward would have to be something special and something more than a fat payday. For me, that was and is still the White House.

“Whether that fight happens or not, my career has been one for the ages and nothing short of legendary,” Jones concluded. “I left a big part of myself in that Octagon, and I’m grateful for every bit of it. And don’t get it twisted, I’ll still kick 99% of your asses out there. Still putting up big numbers under the squat rack, training. Still outworking most of you… just maybe after a proper warm-up and a good stretch.”

Jones hasn’t fought since finishing Stipe Miocic at UFC 309; his lone UFC heavyweight title defense.

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