Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones planning to train together

17 July 2023

Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones are planning to train together.

During the UFC's International Fight Week in Las Vegas, a remarkable encounter took place that would change the game for middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. The chance meeting between Adesanya and Jon Jones served as a pivotal moment.

Before UFC 290, Adesanya shared videos of his friendly hangouts with Jones, showcasing their playful sparring sessions. After years of exchanging trash talk, Adesanya stated that any animosity from his side was now gone. In fact, he expressed his intention to train with the current heavyweight champion in the future.

“We have understanding and common ground, we’re just competitors, bro. It’s like, why should I hate my brother? I went deep into my YouTube comments, and everyone was like, ‘That made me smile, I was smiling so hard watching this,’ and giving people that feeling watching us spar and play around, it was like, is this what world peace would feel like? Imagine world peace when people aren’t at war, people aren’t fighting, that’s what it felt like. We definitely will [train together]. It’s in the works, it will happen,” Adesanya said.

Currently, Jones is set to defend his recently acquired championship against Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 295, scheduled for November at Madison Square Garden. As for Adesanya, UFC President Dana White initially planned for him to compete at UFC 293 in September, which marked the promotion's return to Sydney, Australia. However, a twist of events unfolded when Dricus Du Plessis knocked out Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, setting the stage for a future showdown between Adesanya and Du Plessis.

While the rivalry with Du Plessis intensified, Adesanya's conflict with Jones came to an end following a lengthy conversation between the two titleholders. What struck "The Last Stylebender" the most was the timing of their encounter and the significance of the moment when they acknowledged each other.

What are your thoughts on Adesanya and Jones teaming up? Let us know in the comments below.