Dominick Reyes understands why Jon Jones vacated UFC title, moves on from rematch idea

Many observers thought Dominick Reyes should have left the cage as the new light heavyweight champion after UFC 247.

After a memorable battle, however, the people in Houston whose opinions mattered most — the cageside judges — didn’t see it that way, and Jon Jones retained his title by unanimous decision on scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.

As it turns out, this was Jones’ light heavyweight swan song. Last month he vacated his 205-pound title belt in order to focus on moving up to heavyweight, which has led to Reyes (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) getting a second shot at gold when he meets Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title Sept. 26 at UFC 253.

As Reyes told MMA Junkie on Tuesday, it doesn’t matter whom he defeats to win the championship, so long as the belt is wrapped around his waist when the fight is over.

“It is what it is, man,” Reyes said. “The goal has always been from the beginning to get the belt. It doesn’t have to do with who it’s against. It didn’t matter if it’s Jon; it doesn’t matter if it’s Jan. This is about me. It’s about Dominick Reyes.

“If I win the belt, it’s not going to be about the next guy. It’s going to be me defending my belt and winning my belt and me being better and becoming better and developing my own legacy.”

Of course, it would have been nice to get a rematch with Jones, considering how close the first fight played out. But Reyes, who initially was upset, isn’t going to hold the former champ’s career decision against him.

“I get it,” Reyes said. “He wants to be as successful as he can, and he’s hedging his bets here. The most probability to be the greatest of all time, he’s the greatest light heavyweight of all time, but he wants to be the greatest fighter of all time. In order to do that, he needs to move up, and he needs to do all this crazy other stuff.

“I understand where he’s coming from. I really do.”

But it would be especially pointless for Reyes to dwell on what might have been a Jones rematch now, with another title opportunity right in front of him. Reyes says Jones is now in his rear-view mirror, and he’s only going to worry about himself.

“It’s an opportunity to become champion of the world, man,” Reyes said. “Any opportunity to become champion of the world is going to completely change your life. It’s gonna change everything. I’m right on the precipice of creating my own legacy, etching it in stone where nobody could ever take it away from me. I’m so close to that, and I’m not letting my foot off the pedal. I’m right there.”