Jones turned down fight with Lil’ Nog at UFC 114
Q: I have a gripe about the replacement fighter for Forrest Griffin on that card. Jason Brilz? Honestly? This guy lost…
Q: I have a gripe about the replacement fighter for Forrest Griffin on that card. Jason Brilz? Honestly? This guy lost to Eliot Marshall. While the match has huge upside for Brilz, it has huge downside for fans who wanted to see Antonio Rogerio Nogueira showcase his talent against top contenders. Could the UFC not get a better replacement? Thiago Silva and Jon Jones would have been much better replacements if they would have been willing to fight.
Kevin Iole: Jon Jones turned down the fight because he hasn’t been in the gym since his win over Brandon Vera. Thiago Silva, Ryan Bader and Vera are injured and not ready. Brilz is coming off a win over Eric Schafer, is 18-2-1 and is 13-1-1 in his last 15. Plus, Nogueira was contractually owed a fight and no one else was available. And do you think the UFC wouldn’t want to make the best possible fight? It’s trying to sell, so do you think it wants to put a fight on people wouldn’t be interested in? I don’t.