Dominick Reyes’ worst-case scenario occurred on Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 25.
Jan Blachowicz needed to do something spectacular against Corey Anderson in the light heavyweight contender matchup in order to shift the conversation away from a rematch between Reyes and champion Jon Jones.
He did just that.
Blachowicz (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) scored a brutal first-round knockout of Anderson, and did so with Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) sitting cageside. The pair engaged in a colorful post-fight moment, and it felt Reyes’ chance to run it back may have just slipped away.
It’s clear Reyes (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) sensed at much, because he took to social media and did the only thing he could: Accuse Jones of avoiding a fight with him (via Twitter):
Duck Duck Goose 🦆 @ufc
Reyes pushed Jones to his very limit at UFC 247 this month, falling just short in a controversial unanimous decision. There’s been plenty of talk about booking a second fight immediately, and it still remains a possibility.
Jones spoke to MMA Junkie post-fight at UFC on ESPN+ 25, which took place at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M., and although he thinks Blachowicz asserted himself as a title-worthy contender, he didn’t rule out the rematch with Reyes.
“It’s something that I definitely consider, but in order for a Dominick Reyes rematch to happen it just needs to take a few meetings with the UFC to make that happen,” Jones said. “But if we don’t rematch, I’m fine with that, too. I think I won the fight, definitely won Rounds 3, 4, 5.”
