• UFC

Jon Jones promises fans: I will fight Rashad

ESPN staff
May 16, 2011
Jon Jones does not need surgery © Getty Images
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Jon Jones has assured fans he will definitely fight Rashad Evans, even if his former team-mate may not provide his next opponent.

Jones was all set for a grudge match with Evans, after the pair fell out - leading to the latter's exit from Greg Jackson's gym. However, expected hand surgery forced the UFC light-heavyweight champion to withdraw, leaving Evans to fight Phil Davis.

Now it has emerged that Jones did not need surgery after all, and manager Malki Kawa revealed his comeback fight might not take place against Evans, writing on Twitter: "Jonnybones is not fighting Rashad. Rashad is fighting Phil Davis. I'll let you know who or when Jon will fight real soon...by end of year."

Kawa's revelation sparked fears Jones would side-step Evans, dating back to their previous relationship as good friends, but the champion has set the record straight.

"The way the doctor explained it to me, he would actually be doing me a disservice to cut me open, drills holes in my bones and file my bones down," Jones told MMACanada.net

"He said, 'considering you're an athlete, surgery may not be the best thing for you.' He put me through a lot of tests and he thought that I could live without the surgery and let it heal.

"For all the people panicking at home, me and Rashad Evans are going to fight. We both have a lot of fights left on our contracts, be patient guys, be patient."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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