Jon Jones promised Dana White that he was ‘going to be good’ in Las Vegas on Saturday night, but still found time to hit the town.
The UFC heavyweight champion announced his return to the octagon while in attendance at UFC 306 in The Sphere. He will face 42-year-old Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in a controversial first defence of his undisputed belt at Madison Square Garden on November 16.
But the fact that he is just two months out from his fight didn’t stop Jones celebrating with newly-crowned bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday night. The pair were spotted partying with former champion Aljamain Sterling in footage that went viral online.
Jon Jones parties with Merab Dvalishvili after UFC 306
On Saturday night, the main event of the UFC’s big show at The Sphere saw Sean O’Malley defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili. The Georgian shut out his rival in dominant fashion over five rounds to take the belt.
The result settled a years-long feud between the two, dating back even further than the August 2023 showdown between O’Malley and Aljamain Sterling. Dvalishvili and Sterling are best friends, and when O’Malley defeated the New Yorker last year, it made their feud even deeper.
After landing his big win, Dvalishvili celebrated in style, hitting the tiles in Las Vegas with his team and showing off his new world title belt. And in one video shared to social media, he could be seen enjoying the festivities with one Jon Jones.
The heavyweight champion is currently just two months out from defending his belt for the first time after almost two years of inactivity. But that didn’t stop him from stepping out to celebrate with the new bantamweight champion.
Dana White admitted he was afraid of Jon Jones hanging out with Ryan Garcia at UFC 306
During the event, Jones had been seen with controversial boxing star Ryan Garcia. The pair were seen in a video together, with many fans joking that their link-up could only end in disaster for the heavyweight champion.
Jones is an infamously hard partier, as is Garcia, and both have been known to go too far at times in their celebrations. Asked about their link-up at the post-fight press conference, Dana White seemed to laugh off what was a genuine concern.
“I hope that’s not true,” White told the media when asked if he was nervous about the champion’s night in Vegas. “Jon Jones is running loose and wild here tonight in Las Vegas.
“So let’s hope… Hunter [Campbell] you’re babysitting him tonight? Listen, Jon promised me tonight that he’s going to be good while he’s in Las Vegas.” He finished his speech by tapping the desk in a ‘touch wood’ motion.
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