Jon Jones calls out Brock Lesnar after UFC 214 win

Jon Jones called out Brock Lesnar after winning back his light heavyweight title at UFC 214 on Saturday. Jones scored a third-round knockout of Daniel Cormier after a tense two rounds that saw the incumbent show more than was expected of him in the striking game.

For Jones, though, it’s usually just a matter of time before he lands something big, and a head kick in the third round was just that. He swarmed, got the referee stoppage and the knockout, and spent a long time with his head down on his knees, cradling his title belt.

In the post-fight interview, he was quick to call out Lesnar, the former UFC heavyweight champion who is currently signed with WWE, where he’s been a champion both before and after his UFC run.

“Brock Lesnar, you want to know what it feels like to get your ass kicked by someone 40 pounds lighter?” Jones asked. “Meet me in the octagon.”

Lesnar was suspended one year for a doping violation following his UFC 200 fight with Mark Hunt. Both the USADA and the Nevada Athletic Commission suspended Lesnar for one year. There were rumors in June that Lesnar had re-entered the regular drug testing pool and that he could be looking to return.

A USADA official did later confirm that Lesnar has not re-entered regular testing and therefore, his one-year suspension is still frozen. If Lesnar and Jones want to fight, it will have to happen, presumably, more than a year from now.

Jones was fighting in his first bout since being stripped of the title — twice — for a hit-and-run incident and a drug test violation. He had previously won a unanimous decision over Cormier, and spent much of the past few months trash talking and hyping up Saturday’s rematch.

Now Jones has moved on, decisively beating Cormier twice, and has the belt back around his waist. It appears Lesnar is his next target, but the light heavyweight division is brimming with challengers.

Two up-and-comers in the division, Jimi Manuwa and Volkan Oezdemir, fought on Saturday’s main card, with the latter scoring a 42-second knockout. Oezdemir may or may not be next for Jones, but he’s established himself among the top five of the division.

Lesnar’s first run in the UFC saw him win the heavyweight title and lose it to Cain Velasquez in his seventh professional fight. From there, he lost to Alistair Overeem and took an extended leave from the sport. His last fight was the win over Mark Hunt, which was turned into a no contest when Lesnar failed the drug test.

He has been inactive in MMA since the suspension.