If Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones is going to get signed, “Bones” will apparently be using a new management team to work out the details.
Jones’ longtime representatives at First Round Management today announced a mutual agreement to part ways with the longtime UFC light heavyweight champion. The Florida-based management group, headed by brothers Malki and Abraham Kawa, posted the news on Twitter.
After an 11 year journey as @JonnyBones management team, First Round Management and Bones have amicably decided to part ways. We are proud of him and the work we’ve done. We wish him the best going forward.
Jones confirmed the move shortly after, reposting the announcement on his Instagram account, while adding in his thoughts, as well.
It’s been an absolutely amazing journey. Thank you so much for all the memories, and business ventures. Wishing the Kawa family and everyone over at first round management many blessings moving forward. Glad to be able to call you guys friends for life.
The announcement comes as Jones finds himself in very public negotiations for a potential superfight with UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou following a lengthy, albeit oftentimes tumultuous reign as the promotion’s light heavyweight kingpin.
UFC president Dana White recently revealed the much-discussed matchup was likely going to be scrapped in favor of a Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis matchup, with Jones pricing himself out of the bout by asking for $30 million, a figure “Bones” then openly disputed.
I never discussed wanting 30 million with you or Hunter @danawhite just wondering where you heard that number? Is someone speaking with you on my behalf or…
— BONY (@JonnyBones) April 23, 2021
Despite the ongoing negotiations, Malki Kawa took to social media to clarify that the firm was not representing Jones in those talks and that the decision to part ways was made without that potential fight in mind, and rather simply as a means of a “fresh start” between all parties involved.
Sometimes it’s best to just walk away. Glad to have repped the p4p best fighter in @jonnybones for the last 11years. No this had nothing to do with his Ngannou negotiations. Jon has been handling that negotiation on his own and has been as he wanted to speak for himself when it came to the last few fights, so no, sorry fans, you can’t blame me. We all agreed it was just best to start over. @abraham and I are working on a lot of major things at #frm and sometimes you just have to know when to say when.
Jones, 33, has already cemented his name in the UFC history books despite seemingly having several years of his athletic prime remaining. He currently sits at No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie pound-for-pound rankings, and No. 2 at light heavyweight.
Despite his dominance as champion, Jones has not often enjoyed a great relationship with UFC brass. With multiple failed drug tests and a handful of legal issues stemming from incidents outside of the cage, Jones has left himself open to criticism on a number of fronts, though he’s been unbeatable in the cage.
Still, he took to social media to openly ask for his release from the UFC as recently as March.
Jon Jones, First Round Management announce they have ‘amicably decided to part ways’
