Dominick Reyes explains conservative approach in final rounds of Jon Jones fight

Light heavyweight title challenger, Dominick Reyes explains why he didn’t attempt an explosive finish in the final rounds of his recent fight, as he was convinced he already had the victory over Jon Jones in the bag.

In the main event of UFC 247 on Saturday 8th February, Jon Jones took on the rising contender Dominick Reyes. The light heavyweight champion previously mocked Reyes’ lack of experience, but that didn’t translate in the Octagon. Instead, the top-ranked contender used his striking arsenal to constantly pressure the champion. Jon Jones’ stronger performance in the championship rounds combined with his takedowns was enough to seal the unanimous decision victory.

The closely contested bout drew major scepticism from spectators and industry experts. Many believed “The Devastator,” should have won the fight, and were heavily critical of the judge’s scorecards which ruled in favour of “Bones.”

Image Credit: @ufc on Instagram (photographer not listed)

In fact, Dominick Reyes revealed his performance in the later rounds was a tactical approach, as he was confident he had won the fight. Today, the light heavyweight appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show to discuss his performance. When asked if he wishes he had performed differently in the final rounds to seal the victory, he responded:

“Yes, I wish I would have knocked him out,” Dominick Reyes said whilst giving a sombre laugh.

“I wish I would have finished the fight. But, [it’s] sh*t man. I felt like I was being a bit tactical there too, in the end. I felt like I was winning. I didn’t want to put myself in too much danger. I mean, you’ve got to be technical in your approach as well.

“But sh*t, dang, those are crazy numbers,” he said referring to the judge’s scorecards.

“For me, 1,2 and 3 were home-runs, they were knock-outs. I mean, I knocked it out of the park in those rounds. Sh*t man, I don’t know. It sucks. I came out there and I fought a nearly perfect fight. For that night, I was better than Jon Jones. I was a better fighter, and I didn’t get the… greatness is still just a round a way I guess.”

Do you agree with Dominick Reyes’ frustrations, and do you think the UFC needs to consider reforming its scoring system or choice of judges? Let us know in the comments below at Penn Nation.

February 10, 2020