Dana White Fine with Jon Jones Getting Heavyweight Title Shot, Just Not Before Ngannou

Jon Jones doesn’t necessarily need to get a win at heavyweight before he receives a title shot, but “Bones” will have to wait his turn behind current No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou.

During an appearance on SportsCenter, UFC president Dana White briefly discussed Jones’ prospects at heavyweight after the light heavyweight champion vacated his belt earlier this week. Perhaps the most interesting takeaway was that White believes Jones has the credentials to step into a championship bout immediately.

"[Jones is] the longtime light heavyweight champion. In my opinion he's the greatest of all time, and if he wants to come back and take a shot at the heavyweight championship, I wouldn't have a problem with that," White said. "But he can't just jump in front of Ngannou right now."

Ngannou is the next planned opponent for reigning heavyweight king Stipe Miocic, who is coming off a victory over Daniel Cormier in their championship trilogy bout at UFC 252. There is currently no timetable for the booking of Miocic vs. Ngannou.

"[Ngannou vs. Miocic is] definitely the fight that's going to happen at heavyweight now," White said. "Francis Ngannou has earned that title shot. Then we'll see what happens.

"We have the top four to five [heavyweights] laid out for fights coming up in the fall. So we'll see when Jon Jones' timing is to come back and who makes sense for him."

With Jones’ leaving the light heavyweight division, top contenders Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz have been booked to square off for 205-pound gold in the UFC 253 co-main event. Though a rematch with Reyes, who gave him a competitive five-round fight at UFC 247, could be intriguing, “Bones” believes he has nothing more to accomplish at light heavyweight.

“I’ve had only three close fights in the last decade,” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s safe to say the light heavyweight division has been cleared. Now I enter the heavyweight division when it’s at its all-time best.”