Jon Jones avoiding Anderson Silva so that they don’t lose endorsements

Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have both made it clear recently that they’re not interested in fighting each other, but Jones recently gave a reason that will make fans sick.

In a phone interview with the LA Times, Jones gave two legitimate reasons for not wanting the fight.

“First of all, I will never go down in weight,” Jones told The Times. “Second, I have no interest in fighting Anderson Silva. He’s a guy I really look up to.”

Both of those reasons were understandable, but it’s what Jones said on ESPN Radio 710 with Max & Marcellus that will disgust those who want to see them fight.

“It’s not that he won’t fight me or I won’t fight him,” Jones told Kellerman and fill-in host Beto Duran. “To be dead honest, it’s that we both have a lot to lose and we both respect each other a lot and we both are striving for personal greatness. I don’t want to crap on his greatness and I don’t want him crapping on my greatness.

“We’re in completely different weight classes. We both have sponsor deals and things that are really important to us. A big part of that sponsorship package is being a winning and being a champion. Having us fight each other means one of our championships goes away.

“I respect Anderson Silva so much that I don’t want to be the guy to beat him. I don’t want to lose to him either. It’s a lose-lose situation for me.”

When asked if he could beat Silva, Jones said he’s a “confident” fighter, and he left it at that.

So there you have it. Jones doesn’t want to fight Silva because they both have too much to lose. I don’t know about you, but as a fan who might want to see them fight, hearing that Jones is avoiding it because he doesn’t want to risk losing endorsement deals is sad. This is the UFC where fighters are supposed to be tested every time out. One of Dana White’s best traits is that he puts together fights fans want to see. And now we’re hearing that the organization’s marquee name is scared to fight the top competition because of what he might lose? He’s losing a ton of respect by saying things like that, and he’s beginning to make more and more missteps every month.

Glove touch to Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report
h/t LBS contributor Alan Hull