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White admits six-month Jon Jones fear

ESPN staff
May 24, 2013
Jon Jones is currently in Russia © Getty Images
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UFC president Dana White has confessed Jon Jones could be out for as long as six months due to a ligament problem in his toe.

Jones damaged his foot during his UFC 159 victory over Chael Sonnen, initially appearing to have broken a bone in his toe before later realising he had suffered a dislocation.

The ongoing obstacle to his recovery is a damaged ligament suffered as part of the injury, and White admits he cannot set a date for the light-heavyweight champion's return until he does an MRI scan next week.

"We talked [Wednesday]," White said. "His thing is, he says he feels great and the toe's healing good. But the problem was that ligament. That ligament popped.

"Anywhere you tear a ligament, blood flow helps the thing repair itself and heal, and you don't get a lot of blood flow at the toe.

"Who knows - this thing could be six weeks, or it could be six months. It's a pain in the ass. It's always some crazy little thing. He's in Russia, and when it gets back he's getting an MRI done on his toe again."

Jones' manager has revealed the champion plans to fight twice more this year, but if White's worst-case-scenario comes true the UFC will consider itself lucky if he returns to the Octagon before 2014.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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