Israel Adesanya on Jon Jones UFC Fight: 'I Don't Need It, But I Do Want It'

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya isn't chasing a fight with Jon Jones, but he wouldn't turn one down if the opportunity presented itself. 

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Adesanya explained where he stands on the possibility of a showdown with the former UFC light heavyweight champion. 

"I don't need it, but I do want it. I don't need it, though. People think I need it for my legacy," he said Thursday. 

Jones and Adesanya have gone back and forth on social media frequently over the past year. 

In 2019, after Adesanya said he could see a fight with Jones happening at Allegiant Stadium in 2021, Jones fired back on Twitter:

Speaking to Ariel Helwani last March, Adesanya pushed back his target date for a bout with Jones to December 2021. Nothing has come of that potential bout to this point. 

Jones hasn't fought since defeating Dominick Reyes to retain the light heavyweight title at UFC 247 in February 2020. Bones vacated the title six months later.

One reason for Jones' extended layoff is a financial dispute with UFC. He said on Steve-O's Wild Ride! podcast (via ESPN) that he's willing to hold out for years in an effort to increase the cut that fighters get to compete:

"I'm not asking for anything outrageous, and I know we're in a pandemic, and I know when you're a multimillionaire and you're asking for more, it makes you seem like this greedy person. I'm very aware of all of this, but I'm also very aware that I have the voice and the platform to make change."

Adesanya is widely regarded as one of the best mixed martial artists in the world. The Last Stylebender has 22-1 career record, with his lone defeat coming last March at UFC 259 against Jan Błachowicz when he moved up to light heavyweight to challenge for the 205-pound title. 

Last month at UFC 271, Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker by unanimous decision to retain the middleweight title.