Jon Jones Wants to Pass Tito Ortiz, Then May Entertain Superfights and Heavyweight Bouts

UFC president Dana White recently fanned the flames of UFC superfight talk, saying that if welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre had it in his mind to fight Anderson Silva next, top 170-pound contender Johny Hendricks would once again have to take a backseat.

The fires are sure to be raging even hotter after UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones – often mentioned in the Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre superfight mix – on Monday admitted that he is nearing a point in his career where he wants to entertain superfights or a move up to the heavyweight division.

In regards to his legacy, he seemed to put little importance on the meaning behind his UFC 159 bout against Chael Sonnen this weekend, other than where it places him in the record books.

“This fight with Chael, it ties me with Tito Ortiz (for most UFC light heavyweight title defenses).” But that puts him one fight away from launching into the fights outside the scope of the 205-pound championship.

“One thing I've been contemplating is first tying Tito Ortiz, and then establishing that record of the most (light heavyweight title defense) wins in my next fight, maybe in November, and after that fight in November, entertaining superfights and heavyweight fights,” explained Jones.

November is when the UFC will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The hope had been to hold the an event in New York City’s Madison Square Garden for the anniversary show, which holds great appeal for Jones, a native New Yorker.

White recently put a damper on New York opening itself up to mixed martial arts this year, saying that even if the votes were there in the state assembly, oversight hasn’t been allotted for in the state budget.

Even so, Jon Jones is one of the UFC’s marquee names, and him fighting on the anniversary event would be a good fit in both timing and stature.

If he gets past Sonnen this weekend, a November bout could spark an entirely new chapter in Jones’ career.

(Follow @KenPishna on Twitter)

Be sure to Like MMAWeekly.com on Facebook and Follow @MMAWeeklycom on Twitter.