Former champs Jones, Silva offer brief glimpse at mega-fight that never materialized
For the short period of time the lengthy title reigns of Ultimate Fighting Championship stars Jon Jones and Anderson Silva overlapped, mixed martial arts fans drooled at the prospect of a super-fight in much the same way boxing fans yearned for a battle between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. before they finally met in the ring earlier this year.
The hope for a fight between Jones and Silva is all but gone now.
First off, neither fighter currently has a belt. Jones was stripped of the light heavyweight title when he encountered legal trouble after a hit-and-run accident in April. Silva, the longtime middleweight champ, was dethroned by Chris Weidman in 2013 and then disgraced when he failed a test for performance-enhancing drugs following a win over Nick Diaz in January.
The two have also become friends.
Jones and Silva, who are both set to return to the cage in early 2016, were able to offer a brief look at what a fight between them may have looked like had it ever taken place.
The action, however, lacks any real contact.
Jones and Silva met up on the streets of New York and went through a quick shadowboxing session.
It obviously didn’t offer any insight into what may have happened in a real fight. It did, however, make a few MMA fans take a moment to wonder.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj
