Anyone keeping up with mixed martial arts news probably knows that former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones was recently suspended for a year by USADA.
You can read all about that here.
However, as the old saying goes, a door never closes without a window opening. In Bones’ case, that window may be the exciting world of grappling.
According to Grappling Underground founder and Bones’ UFC 159 opponent, Chael Sonnen, Bones is expected to headline the promotion’s December 11 event in Portland, Oregon, Sonnen’s home state.
Best of all, Jones’ opponent will be none other than retired UFC legend Dan “Hendo” Henderson.
Sonnen explained to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that the match will be something of a make-up for the fight Jones and Henderson were supposed to have at UFC 151.
The deal was pretty easy. Jon had come to the table pretty quick, and Jon suggested it. He said, ‘why don’t we do Dan Henderson?’ We were in talks with Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping wanted the match, and we kind of took Jon’s advice. We thought, well, you know what, that does make some sense. That’s the match that never happened, and we might be the only promotion to ever get these two guys together. So there it is.
Unfortunately, Chael continued, the window opening for Jones may have some red tape blocking it.
I don’t think that [Jones’ suspension] affects it . . . Grappling never has in the past, but the commission, if they ask for something, particularly if you’re making a deal, you want to do it their way. So I imagine there could be some red tape there.
The event Jones and Hendo will face off at will simply be called Submission Underground II. It will operate under EBI rules.
