Prior to the new year beginning, shakeups continue on the second fight night card slated for Fight Island. Early Tuesday morning reports circulated that breakout UFC star Khazmat Chimaev was out of his fight with Leon Edwards. While the UFC scrambles for a new main event, a fight between Mike Davis and Mason Jones has just been revealed.
MMA Island was first to report the pairing, in a social media post that was subsequently deleted. Jones, however, has confirmed the bout on his own social media accounts.
Jones (10-0), a former two-division Cage Warriors champion (lightweight and welterweight), will have a tall task ahead of him for his promotional debut. However, the double champion is undefeated and coming off back-to-back finishes. Fighting out of Pedro Bessa BJJ, Jones takes on Davis (8-2) who is coming off a huge win in his own right. Specifically, at UFC on ESPN+ 19 he obliterated Thomas Gifford with a right-cross late into the third round.
That fight came back in October 2019.
Although the UFC Fight Island 8 card has undergone many changes, Davis and Jones should make for an exciting showdown. Especially since Jones comes in unbeaten, and as a double-champ from a different promotion. Surely looking to make a statement, Davis always brings versatile striking. And while he lost his octagon debut prior to the Gifford fight, it’s easy to forget that it came against Gilbert Burns — who is lined up for a welterweight title shot. In any case, Davis is a stiff test for a debutant. Although Jones has seen a lot in Cage Warriors, all eyes will be locked on him to see how he handles the UFC jitters and the big stage.
