Monday 20 August 2012

Champ Jones snubs Machida rematch

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones does not want a rematch with Lyoto Machida, but that doesn't worry Machida's manager, Ed Soares.

"I don't think Jon Jones has a choice," Soares told ESPN.com. "He could choose not to fight.

"But at the end of the day what's the reason? He can't just (decide to) not fight."

Jones told ESPN.com on Friday that if he retains his title on Sept. 1 against Dan Henderson, he does not want to fight Machida next due to low pay-per-view numbers the two generated for their Dec. 10, 2011, bout in Toronto.
Jones submitted Machida in the second round with a standing guillotine choke to retain his 205-pound title.

"I don't want to fight Lyoto Machida," Jones said. "He was my lowest pay-per-view draw of last year.

"No one wants to see me fight Lyoto Machida. I don't want to fight Lyoto again. Lyoto is high risk and low reward."

Soares said he understands why Jones has reservations about facing Machida again, but expects the rematch will take place.

"The reality is who else is there to fight him?" Soares said. "I understand where he is coming from. Because Machida is probably the toughest light heavyweight he would face.

"And based on his past pay-per-view numbers that's how he feels. But also he has to understand that traditionally when the pay-per-views are out of the country, they're typically 30 percent lower than they are domestically.

"If they fight in Las Vegas, it might be a different story."

Soares isn't the only person associated with a potential Jones-Machida rematch unconcerned by the champ's recent stance.
UFC president Dana White has been down this road with Jones.

"He didn't want to fight Rashad (Evans), either," White told ESPN.com.

Jones is favored to retain his title against Henderson at UFC 151 in Las Vegas.
Earlier this month, White designated Machida the No. 1 contender and stated he would face the Jones-Henderson winner. White made the announcement after Machida knocked out Ryan Bader in the second round on Aug. 4, in Los Angeles.

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