Jon Jones sends message of support to Israel Adesanya for UFC timeout: ‘Always put YOU first’

Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya have had their differences, but now they’re sharing positive vibes.

In a surprising turn of events, Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) recently announced that he’s taking a break from competition, and this seems to resonate with Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC), who recently posted a message of solidarity on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Hey @stylebender I just want to let you know I support your decision to take a break from fighting. Taking those last three years off was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Always put YOURSELF first, brother. Protect your heart, protect your mind & spirit. Proud of you, Champ.”

Adesanya has been one of the most active UFC champions, participating in 10 title fights between October 2019 and September 2023. Following his unexpected loss to Sean Strickland in UFC 293, Adesanya remained cryptic. However, he recently discussed his plans to take a break from competition in an interview with “The Rock” podcast.

“I’m going to take time to look after myself, and I won’t be fighting for a long time,” Adesanaya said. “I’m not retiring because I know myself – I’m not leaving like that. But if I did, I’m fine. I don’t need to prove anything else. I know what I can do and what changes I can make in my lifestyle to achieve my goals. I’m going to heal myself. You won’t see me fight for a while.”

Jones made his return to the octagon in March after a three-plus year hiatus, and he quickly captured the UFC heavyweight title with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane. He is set to make his next appearance on November 11, 2023, at UFC 295 against Stipe Miocic.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie