UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones underwent elbow surgery on Monday, but does not expect it to further delay his return to the UFC following a previous surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.
Jon Jones, the MMA fighter, had another surgery recently. This time, it was on his elbow. But don’t worry, he says this won’t push back his UFC comeback.
Jones was all set to defend his heavyweight title at UFC 295 last November. But then, a torn pectoral muscle happened. A fight against Stipe Miocic had to be dropped. The culprit? A rigorous training session.
He underwent surgery to fix the damage. And now, he’s eyeing a summer return to the ring. But first, he needs to be fighting fit.
While he was already on the mend from his pectoral injury, Jones decided to address his elbow issue. It was a much-needed fix. The recovery and rehab? Well, it just happened to align with his existing healing timeline.
Jones shared his journey on Instagram. “Back in California with Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache. This time, not for a pec repair, but for my left elbow,” he said. He’d just come out of a two-hour surgery to shave down some bone spurs.
The good news? It’s a 10-week healing process. And since he’s already out for months due to the pec surgery, he thought, why not kill two birds with one stone? So, he got his elbow sorted out once and for all.
Jones is grateful for the support. He’s back in the sling, back on the recovery path. “Sometimes you have to take a small step back to move forward,” he mused. He’s patient, though. He appreciates the love, the positive vibes. And he promises, he’ll be back.
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the man behind the surgeries, is a top-notch orthopedic surgeon. He’s worked his magic on many high-profile athletes. UFC superstar Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, Francis Ngannou, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, and baseball star Shohei Ohtani, to name a few.
ElAttrache was also the one who repaired Jones’s torn pectoral muscle. The one he got from training.
Once he’s back in shape, Jones is expected to defend his heavyweight title. He’ll be up against former champion Stipe Miocic. Their previous fight had to be cancelled, remember? Meanwhile, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is eager for his chance to bypass Miocic and face Jones. But Dana White, UFC CEO, has dismissed that idea.
As for Jones’s return, there’s no exact date yet. But mid-2024 seems likely. He’s expected to be cleared to compete by then.