UFC President Dana White confirmed Jon Jones will not be returning to the octagon in this year's UFC.
Since his controversial UFC 247 win over Dominick Reyes last February, the former champion light-heavyweight has not been seen in the cage.
UFC chief Dana White confirmed Jon Jones won't fight this year
Jones' absence from the cage is due to a pay dispute with the promotion. They aren't ready to fulfill his demands for his long-awaited debut heavyweight.
MMA fans hoped to see the pound for pound king in action this year. But White stated that he would not fight until next year.
It's 2021. He won't fight until [2022]. He's not in my thoughts until [2022].
White revealed recently that Stipe Miocic, the former heavyweight champion, was offered and accepted a showdown.
Miocic's future is uncertain with Jones absent until next year.
White said that he didn't know what the future holds for the former champion when he was asked.
"The beauty of this division right now, is that we had this fight tonight.
"Now Francis [Ngannou] against Ciry [Gane], Jon Jones is out there in 2022, and Stipe is still out there.
"This means that there will be lots of fun over the next year, year and half."
After Jones' defeat of Miocic in March, Ngannou became the UFC's first African-born heavyweight champion.
Ngannou was excited to welcome Jones to heavyweight, but is now not holding out for Bones.
Sirius XM Radio asked him: "If you ask my opinion on who I would love to fight, I would answer Jon Jones."
"But, we all know Jon Jones won't fight anytime soon and I don’t want to wait for him."
"It's not how I should schedule my time. I want fight and, as a champion, to defend my title.
"But I just want it to be right for me. That's it. It doesn't really matter who it might be.
"When you are champion, it is easy to assume you can fight all the competitors."
It doesn't matter what order they are in. They're going up against you.
"If they are a legitimate contender, you must fight them. It is not your decision.
