Jon Jones regained the UFC Light Heavyweight Title in the main event of UFC 232, defeating Alexander Gustafsson by third round TKO.
Anthony Smith, who sits at #3 in the UFC Light Heavyweight Division rankings, says talks have begun for a title bout against Jones.
“It sounds like he’s in,” Smith told TMZ Sports. “Of course, [my manager] has already been talking to the UFC and I think that they’re working that out and seeing what that looks like as far as timelines and stuff, but I’m in.”
Jones recently stated that he wants to fight three times this year, but didn’t specify when any of those bouts would take place.
Smith is impressed with what he saw Jones do at UFC 232, but has seen the newly crowned champion perform better in past encounters.
“Anytime you take out Alexander Gustafsson with a finish, that’s a huge accomplishment,” Smith said. “So hats off to Jon, that was obviously a great performance, but I’ve seen him look better. I saw a beatable man. I saw a guy that I can compete with and a guy that I can beat. I’m not wowed by Jon Jones. That’s not saying that I don’t think he’s a phenomenal fighter, but I’m not afraid of him and I think that Jon has a lot of people beat before they even get in there. I think people look at Jon like he’s an uphill battle and this unreachable task and I don’t see him like that. I’m not wowed by him. I see a man that I can beat and a person with holes, like any other human, that can be exploited.”
The only fighters ahead of Smith in the rankings right now are UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson, whom Jones has already beaten.
