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Dana White: Jones to fight either Ngannou or Miocic in heavyweight debut

Chris Unger / UFC / Getty

UFC president Dana White said former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones' hiatus could be coming to an end soon.

"Jon Jones is ready to go," White said Monday on the "Jim Rome Show."

"We're just waiting for an opponent. It's either going to be Francis (Ngannou), depending on how long his knee is going to take to recover, or Stipe Miocic."

Jones, who turns 35 next month, has not fought since scoring a unanimous decision victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 in 2020.

Jones' heavyweight debut has been two years in the making. A financial dispute with the promotion in 2021 kept him away from action.

White believes Jones' talent will outweigh any ring rust.

"He's the best," he said. "He's definitely the best of all time."

Meanwhile, Miocic has not fought since losing the heavyweight belt to Ngannou in March 2021.

Ngannou, the undisputed champion, currently remains on the shelf after undergoing knee surgery in March. He successfully defended the title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January. Ngannou is aiming to return to competition toward the end of the year or possibly early in 2023.

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