Jon Jones makes prediction for potential Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor rematch

If Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor end up fighting for a second time, UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones believes Nurmagomedov will once again come out on top.

Jones explained why he’s siding with Nurmagomedov in a potential McGregor rematch during a recent interview with TMZ.

“I typically don’t go against wrestlers, if you were asking me as a betting man,” Jones said (transcript via MMA Junkie). “Wrestlers have the power to dictate where the fight goes – whether it’s going to be a standing match, or whether he’s going to take him to the ground and make it a jiu-jitsu match. I think the cards are always kind of in Khabib’s hands. Conor definitely has a chance. But if I would put my money on it, I’m definitely going with Khabib, for sure.”

Jon Jones fought last Saturday, in them main event of UFC 247, when he defended the UFC light heavyweight title with a hotly debated unanimous decision victory over formerly undefeated challenger Dominick Reyes.

It’s not clear who he’ll fight next, although a rematch with Reyes and a fight with the winner of the imminent clash between Corey Anderson and Jan Blachowicz both seem possible. It’s also possible Jones could move up to heavyweight in the near future.

Khabib Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, is currently slated to defend the UFC lightweight title against Tony Ferguson at UFC 249, which goes down on April 18 in Brooklyn, New York. While the undefeated lightweight champ undoubtedly has his hands full with Ferguson, buzz surrounding a potential rematch with his arch rival McGregor, who defeated by submission in late 2018, has never died down.

McGregor hype, of course, is once again surging after the Irishman decimated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone last month.

What do you think of this prediction from Jon Jones? Do you think Khabib Nurmagomedov would beat Conor McGregor in a rematch, or would McGregor even the score?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 2/10/2020.