Craig Jones will now face Chael Sonnen in a rematch at CJI 2, stepping in after Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson pulled out less than a week before the event due to injury!
Sonnen accepted the challenge on an extremely short notice, saving the main event superfight.
With that said, Sonnen has also had little time to prepare, and he hasn’t competed in MMA for over six years – or in grappling since 2017, when Jones submitted him with a heel hook at ADCC.
Nevertheless, despite Sonnen’s long absence from competition, his reputation as one of the sport’s best talkers has already generated a lot of talk around the match.
Jones remains the heavy favorite, given his consistent high-level competition and more recent activity, though he too hasn’t done a full training camp.
Instead, he has been touring the U.S. to promote his events.
The unexpected rematch will bring plenty of intrigue.
Even if Sonnen isn’t expected to beat Jones on the mats, fans know he can deliver entertainment on the microphone, making this bout one of the most talked-about storylines heading into CJI 2.
The news were shared via CJI’s social media:
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