Talk of a Brock Lesnar vs. Jon Jones UFC superfight is heating up

When last we checked on Brock Lesnar’s mixed martial arts career, UFC was denying reports he’d re-entered the USADA testing pool, a necessary requirement for the retired former Heavyweight champion to re-enter the Octagon.

But that doesn’t stop trash talk and speculation!

There’s really no point at which UFC wouldn’t want Lesnar to appear on one of their cards. He was instrumental in the rise of the company and the sport, and one of the biggest draws in the history of both. But the basis for much of the current talk is that Dana White and team desperately want Brock and other big stars like Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor to appear on shows in 2017. Not even a year removed from the $4 billion dollar sale of the company, business is down and UFC needs star power to change that in the short-term.

As Dave Meltzer said on a recent edition of The LAW (listen here):

They've got a budget and this year has been terrible. They want some drawing power for the end of the year.

If White can work out another deal with Vince McMahon to use Brock before his WWE contract is up, who would he fight? According to Meltzer, the ideal scenario for UFC is right out of the pro wrestling playbook:

Their idea is Jon Jones... their goal right now is to make superstars. And of all the guys on the roster, Jon Jones - with the exception of Conor... is the one with the most potential to be a superstar, with all his flaws, cause he’s a great fighter, he’s only 30 years old and what bigger coronation is if he can beat Brock Lesnar?

There are several big catches to this scenario. One, former Light Heavyweight champion Jones needs to beat his long-time rival (and huge pro graps fan) Daniel Cormier this weekend at UFC 214 in Anaheim. If Jones can’t beat DC, he’s not going to be coronated - at least not in his next fight, which a 2017 Lesnar match would have to be.

Two, Brock would need to officially re-enter the USADA testing pool within the next couple of weeks. He has five months remaining on his one year suspension for testing positive around his UFC 200 fight with Mark Hunt (a bout which helped create excitement for a card that lost Jones when he was popped for an estrogen blocker he claimed came from an over-the-counter sexual enhancement pill), and the clock won’t start ticking on that until he’s being screened to make sure he’s switched foot cream brands.

There are other issues, not the least of which is Vince’s blessing, but none of them have stopped the two fighters from answering questions about one another in a way that would help fire up the promotional machine for a superfight.

Jones kicked it off in a Q & A on UFC’s Facebook:

I would love to fight Brock Lesnar. He’s a massive dude and it would be a massive draw. Really big for the sport. It’d be a great challenge - that’s a big ol’ boy. I doubt Brock Lesnar would take that fight though.

That answer includes a bit of a challenge, and it didn’t take long for the Beast Incarnate to fire back, telling the Associated Press:

Would I fight Jon Jones? Anytime, anywhere.

Given everything that needs to happen, and the desire to put this fight on the biggest stage possible, the target is likely Dec. 30’s UFC 219 in Las Vegas.

Would you buy that show for Lesnar vs. Jones, Cagesiders? Cause that just might be a decision you get to make.