Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but positive vibes are flowing for once.
A recent announcement by Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) that he’s taking time off from competition seems to resonate with Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC), who recently posted a message of solidarity on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Hey @stylebender I just want to let you know I support your decision to take a break from fighting. Taking those last three years off was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Always put YOU first brother. Protect your heart, protect your mimd & spirit. Proud of you Champ.”
Hey @stylebender I just want to let you know I support your decision to take a break from fighting. Taking those last three years off was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Always put YOU first brother. Protect your heart, protect your mimd & spirit. Proud of you Champ.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) October 15, 2023
One of the most active UFC champions during his reigns, Adesanya competed in 10 title fights between October 2019 and September 2023. While he was cryptically mum in the aftermath of his UFC 293 loss to Sean Strickland in September, Adesanya recently revealed in an interview with “The Rock” podcast that he plans to take time off from competition
“I’m going to take time to look after myself, and I’m not going to fight for a long time,” Adesanaya said. “I’m definitely not going to retire because I know me – I’m not leaving like that. I know me. But if I did, I’m fine. I don’t need to prove anything else. But I know what I can do and what I can change in my lifestyle to make my body adapt to where I need to be. I’m going to heal myself up. You won’t see me fight for a long time.”
Jones returned from a three-plus year hiatus of his own in March and captured the UFC heavyweight title in short order with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane. He returns Nov. 11 at UFC 295 against Stipe Miocic.
Jon Jones sends message of support to Israel Adesanya for UFC timeout: ‘Always put YOU first’