Jon Jones responds to accusations that he’s ducking Reyes, Blachowicz

Jon Jones has responded to accusations that he’s ducking fights with light heavyweight contenders Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz.

Jones, the long-time UFC light heavyweight champion, vacated the division’s throne earlier this week, and immediately began teasing a move up to the heavyweight division. As Jones prepares to transition to his new weight class, Reyes and Blachowicz will collide for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 253 in September.

While Jones’ move up to heavyweight has generated plenty of excitement, some members of the MMA community have accused him ducking a rematch with Reyes, who he defeated with a controversial decision in February, and a fresh fight with Blachowicz, one of the few light heavyweight contenders he’s yet to beat.

Jones responded to those accusations on Twitter on Thursday, starting with suggestions that he’s avoiding a second fight with Reyes.

I literally had to leave it all out there the night I beat Gus, my last fight I ended comfortably scoring points. Gus pushed me to a place I have still yet to see again

— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 20, 2020

Both DC and Gus faced fatalities in our rematches, now for the first time in my career I’m terrified to have a rematch? If you believe this narrative, slap yourself

— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 20, 2020

“I literally had to leave it all out there the night I beat [Alexander Gustafsson], my last fight I ended comfortably scoring points,” Jones wrote. “Gus pushed me to a place I have still yet to see again. Both [Daniel Cormier] and Gus faced fatalities in our rematches, now for the first time in my career I’m terrified to have a rematch? If you believe this narrative, slap yourself.”

Jones then responded to claims that he’s avoiding a fight with the Polish knockout artist Blachowicz.

Jan from Poland < Diving headfirst into the unknown.

— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 20, 2020

Jan found my weakness, he threatened to fist me and I threw in the white towel 😂

— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 20, 2020

“Jan from Poland < Diving headfirst into the unknown,” Jones wrote.

“Jan found my weakness, he threatened to fist me and I threw in the white towel,” he added, referencing a linguistic blunder Blachowicz made on Twitter earlier this year.

Do you think Jon Jones is avoiding Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz?