Cain Velasquez fires back at Jon Jones getting a title shot when he returns
Back in 2013 during a press conference in New York, Jon Jones discussed a possible move to heavyweight and even squared off with champion Cain Velasquez as a fun photo-op for those in attendance.
Jones has long teased the possibility that he would move up a weight class to challenge for a second title after being the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in history.
The fight never came together but three years later, Jones is still contemplating an eventual move to heavyweight and even said fighting champion Stipe Miocic would be "the challenge of a lifetime".
Now, Jones' comment is a far cry from a declaration that he's ready to move to heavyweight, much less that he's asking for a shot at Miocic and the belt, but Velasquez has a few words for the embattled interim champion if he has any ideas like that on his mind.
Velasquez seems like the next logical choice to face Miocic whenever the heavyweight champion is ready to fight again and if Jones has any bright ideas of returning for a shot at the belt, he needs to get in line.
Velasquez fired back at Jones on Wednesday night after the subject came up during his interview on "UFC Tonight".
"With him being suspended a little bit longer, that wouldn't make it fair but as far as him going in and getting a title shot right away, I would say no, that shouldn't happen," Velasquez said.
Jones is currently on suspension after a pre-fight drug test came back positive for two banned substances ahead of a fight he had scheduled with Daniel Cormier at UFC 200. Jones is still ineligible to take a fight right now due to the suspension.
As far as his own aspirations, Velasquez hopes he'll get the chance to face Miocic next but the Ohio native said after his win over Alistair Overeem last weekend at UFC 203 that he was looking forward to some much needed time off.
Miocic has already fought three times in 2016, including back-to-back title fights against Fabricio Werdum and Overeem in May and September.
So if the current champ is sidelined for the remainder of the year, Velasquez knows exactly who he'd like to face instead.
"If Stipe doesn’t want to take a break, I want him next. If he does want to take break, I've been hearing he might want to fight again in 2017, if that's the case, the only fight that I would want and the only fight that would make sense right now would be to fight Werdum in December. I'd want Werdum in December," Velasquez said.
"This one's personal. I just could sit around and wait. If Werdum wants to fight in December, let's make it happen."
Velasquez returned in July where he battered Travis Browne to win by first round TKO to get back on track. According to Velasquez, the UFC has told him the title shot is his if he wants to wait, but it sounds like he's anxious to get back into action and Werdum is the name at the top of his list for possible opponents.
"All I can say is I would want him in December. Get that revenge back," Velasquez said about Werdum.
"If I wait to fight in 2017, I'd rather get Fabricio in the mean time. I want to fight him in December. That's the only fight for me that makes sense. That's the only fight I would take right now other than Stipe."
