With Movie & Reality Show Roles On The Table, Jon Jones Remains Focused On Glover Teixeira
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has taken the MMA world by storm since obtaining the belt in early 2011, rising to the lofty status of the world’s No.1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter.
With an impressive win streak that includes a veritable who’s who of mixed martial arts legends like Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Jones has his sights on the next generation of elite light heavyweights.
He beat No. 1 contender Alexander Gustafsson in a controversial war at UFC 165, and now “Bones’” focus will shift to his UFC 172 main event with Glover Teixeira on April 26.
With all of his success and fame, you would think Jones would be in the limelight more often. Despite his lucrative endorsement deals with Nike and Gatorade, Jones has yet to go the route of Ronda Rousey and appear on the silver screen. However, as Jones’ manager Malki Kawa told FOX Sports, that’s not for a lack of offers from Hollywood:
“Actually, Jon’s been offered a lot of different acting opportunities. He’s actually been offered some different roles, some very cool ones that the timing just wasn’t right, and I don’t think Jon was really ready for them because of training camps and some of the things he had going on.
Just so you guys are aware, he could have had his first movie done a year and a half ago, two years ago, he’s been offered some parts There’s a reality show deal on the table for him right now. There’s a whole bunch of things going on for him, his brothers, everything.”
Apparently Jones has been too concentrated on what he does best to take any of those roles, but all that may change rather soon:
“There’s a lot of opportunities out there, but Jon is concentrating on this fight stuff. He’s going to get this fight done and over with, and once this fight is done you’ll start hearing more about Jon getting involved with acting.”
Kawa hints that Jones may begin to open up to these opportunities once his fight with Teixeira has passed, but that would suggest that Jones is looking past the surging John Hackleman-trained Brazilian slugger.
But that’s apparently far from the case. Although Jones may be considering branching out into acting, Kawa said he’s never seen Jones more intent on winning a fight:
“He’s very driven. He’s very focused. I have never seen him more focused than he is for this fight. It’s as if he has something personal to prove with Glover, although he doesn’t. I think we’re going to see the best Jon Jones we’ve ever seen.””
Fans are hoping we do see the best Jones at UFC 172, because that would undoubtedly set up his awaited rematch with Gustafsson, a fight that may just be the most anticipated bout in all of MMA right now. Should Jones continue to put his potential acting career on hold until his business is completely finished in the Octagon?
Photo: Joe Camporeale for USA TODAY Sports
