Super Bowl weekend is supposed to be one of the UFC's headline shows every year, at least that's what history had suggested. This year however, the fact that it's followed by McGregor mania at UFC 197 and what we can only assume will be one of the biggest cards in history at UFC 200, February 6th is looking like slim pickings for UFC 196. And that was before Cain Velaszquez and Fabricio Werdum pulled out of the headline fight.
Now, it's looking nothing short of a disaster with less than two weeks to go. The headline fight is left with Stipe Miocic against no one and for no belt. It doesn't exactly sell itself but if Dana White and co. want to make a splash then there's only one man to turn to.
Jon Jones' extensive list of indiscretions means he's not exactly everyone's favourite fighter among the promotions top brass but he's still the P4P no.1 and he's a name that would automatically turn UFC 196 from a disaster into one of the most watched events of the year. But would he move up to heavyweight?
It seems quite a few fans have been asking him about thusly,
@danawhite Please make it @JonnyBones vs @stipemiocicufc for UFC 196 interim HWC!!!!
And now Jones has managed to get everyone talking thanks to this reply.
If it was for the actual title I would totally do it https://t.co/ur2Rq1ycOI
— BONY (@JonnyBones) January 26, 2016
It must be said, it's highly unlikely but Jones has got fans talking now and there's no doubt it's the fight that everyone suddenly wants to see on February 6th. A light heavyweight rematch against Daniel Cormier had been looking like his only real option for a comeback but if he can be convinced to make a straight jump up to heavyweight then he really doesn't have a lot to lose.
He'd be coming in having saved an event and it wouldn't affect his lightweight ambitions in the slightest. However, his demands for a straight shot at the title seem rather unlikely. There's surely no way that the UFC would strip Werdum of the title because of injury. The only fair thing would be an interim title bout between Jones and Miocic.
It's still unlikely but UFC chiefs are in a bit of a bind at the moment so if they go all out to get Jones on 11 days notice, there's conceivably an offer that could be made to make him take the fight. Nothing else looks remotely appealing at the moment so we'll leave this down as one to watch over the next few days.
