As Jon Jones was about to enter the octagon on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena for the UFC 285 main event, Nevada officials objected to the tape on Jone’s foot and toes.
Jones has suffered a gruesome toe injury inside the cage. During his UFC 159 against Chael Sonnen, the bone was sticking from Jone’s big toe. He’s taped his toes every since.
During the UFC 285 Post-fight Press Conference Jones explained the situation that was taking place on Saturday with the Nevada officials before his title bout against Ciryl Gane. He then issued an ultimatum.
“I used a different tape. I usually use a certain brand of tape. I’ll give them a shoutout, War Tape. I feel like it’s just a lot stickier. I used the UFC’s tape tonight and as soon as my body started to sweat the tape was sliding all over the place,” Jones said.
“I made almost like a little cast around my toe that linked down to the middle of my foot so that the tape wouldn’t slide off my toes. And when I got out there they commission was like, ‘you can’t tape you feet.’ And I’m like, dude, I always tape my feet.”
Jones stated that he would not fight if he weren’t able to tape his feet and that was narrowly avoided ‘disaster’ on Saturday.
“I’m not going to compete if I can’t tape my toes,” Jones said. “I just won’t do it. I want everyone to know that for the future. Thank God we didn’t have a disaster out there tonight.”
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Jon Jones ultimatum: ‘I will not fight if I can’t tape my toes’