UFC 247: Dominick Reyes Says Jon Jones is “Notorious” For Eye Pokes, Will be Flagging it to Ref

Many people believe that Jon Jones is the greatest fighter of all time on account of his athletic abilities, comprehensive skill set and fight IQ. But, over the years “Bones” has also earned a reputation for landing illegal eyepokes during his bout, and Dominick Reyes is preparing for that as they get set to fight.

Reyes comments on Jones’ rep for eye pokes

Although Jones (25-1) has never had a fight declared a no-contest as a result of poking an opponent in the eye, the renowned fighter does have a habit of leaving his left hand, with fingers stretched out. As a result, Jones has inadvertently poked opponents in the eyes and he’s been warned for doing so in several of his fights.

Well, Reyes (12-0) is booked to fight the light-heavyweight champ on February 8th, at UFC 247. While talking to MMA Fighting ahead of the match-up, Reyes had this to say about Jones’ rep for eye pokes.

“It’s something where it is what it is. Not much I can do about it except give the referee an advanced “hey man, please look out for this, he’s notorious for this,” Reyes said. “It’s going to be hard for me to get in. I’m not going to run my face directly into fingers. It is what it is. It’s just another challenge that he presents.

“I think more than just the fingers being outstretched is that he stays busy with that lead hand. I think that’s what keeps guys at bay, he paws with it and he paws exactly at his range. That’s been a gigantic weapon of his. It sets up the rest of his arsenal. It helps him find his range.”

“It’s a blatant rule break. You can’t do it. It’s in the rules,” Reyes said. “It’s been talked about many times. Either you’re going to do it or you’re not going to do it. It’s up to me on fight night to talk to the ref and make him aware.”

Reyes is right to raise the issue

Now, some people, perhaps Jones supporters, might argue that Reyes is blowing this out of proportion or looking for an edge. But, he’s smart to flag this issue ahead of the bout. He’s right. It is against the rules and taking an eye poke could significantly impact his ability to beat Jones. Especially when we’re talking about one of the most talented and athletic fighters in the game.

It will be interesting to see if this plays out in the actual fight, and if it does happen, whether Jones loses a point.

UFC 247 will be hosted by the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on February 8th. Jones will be fighting for the first time since last July when he recorded a split decision win over Thiago Santos. Reyes, meanwhile, is coming off knockout win over former middleweight champ Chris Weidman in September.