Jon Jones' manager weighs in on having Ciryl Gane as an opponent over Francis Ngannou
Jon Jones' manager Richard Schaefer recently weighed in on 'Bones' upcoming heavyweight championship fight against Ciryl Gane.
Jon Jones is set to make his highly anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 285 on March 4, 2023. The former light heavyweight champion will be taking on Ciryl Gane for the vacant heavyweight title.
This comes as a surprise to many MMA fans, who were expecting Jones to face Francis Ngannou for the title. However, Dana White recently announced that Ngannou has been released from his contract, paving the way for Jones to face Gane.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Jon Jones' manager was asked if there was any "disappointment" after Jones signed up to fight Ciryl Gane. The manager replied:
"I don't think there is disappointment. You know, you sort of like move on and that's what it is. And you know, one can never say never...so who knows what the future holds."
Schaefer also cited Ciryl Gane as a "bigger fight" for Jones than Ngannou, commending the Frenchman for his impressive skillset:
"I do believe that these are the two best heavyweights [Jones vs. Gane] fighting each other, and it’s a massive fight. That's what the focus is. You can't go and cry over 'could have been' or things like that... I personally, by the way, feel that Ciryl, with his skillset...is a bigger fight than Francis would have been."
Check out Jones' manager give his take on the upcoming heavyweight title fight in the video below (starting at the 1:38:55 mark):
Jon Jones becomes the highest-paid heavyweight in UFC history, according to his manager
In the same interview, Richard Schaefer also revealed that following Jones' recent eight-fight deal with the UFC, he has become the highest-paid heavyweight in the promotion's history.
The manager also noted that 'Bones' has now become the second-highest-paid athlete in the promotion after Irish superstar Conor McGregor:
"I think UFC realizes that Jon Jones is the G.O.A.T., so they were very open to working with us and of putting together a fair deal. The deal we made for Jon makes Jon, in the history of the UFC, the highest-paid heavyweight athlete. And overall, I think...probably the second-highest ever, next to Conor McGregor."
Check out Jones' manager's claims below: