Rising star out of Brazil will get his chance at the light heavyweight belt.
UFC president Dana White said the promotion’s light heavyweight champion says he wants to fight Glover Teixeira next for the belt.
Fresh off his gruelling unanimous decision over Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, Jones says he wants to give the Brazilian his dues after waiting in line for his shot at the crown.
“That’s what the champ wants,” White said. “We’ll probably have that fight on the Super Bowl card in New Jersey.”
Jones broke new ground for the 205 pound division by winning his 10th victory in a row and defending the belt six times in a row, more than Hal-of-Fame fighters Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.
Gustafsson gave Jones easily his toughest challenge since winning the belt with the calls for an immediate re-match deafening in the aftermath of the classic five round brawl.
And while Jones plans to keep his promise to the Swede for another shot at the belt, he said he would not be letting go of it anytime soon.
“I said before the (Gustafsson) fight my sights were set on breaking the record,” Jones said in a statement released by the UFC.
“I want to crush the record. I want to beat the record so bad it can never be broken.
“I’m going to fight Glover and I will answer all the critics about the Gustafsson fight. I will fight Gustafsson after I fight Glover. I won the fight but I look at it as a blemish on my record because some people think I didn’t. I promise you, he will be next.”
White confirmed that Gustafsson will also fight around the same time as Jones’ next defence against a yet to be named opponent at a venue to be decided upon.
Jones was hospitalised after his win over Gustafsson at the Air Canada Centre. The 26-year-old champion was released the following day, and a follow-up MRI revealed no serious injury.
The Ontario Athletic Commission did place Jones on a 60-day medical suspension following this past weekend’s title fight.
Teixeira (22-2) will carry a 20-fight win streak into the cage against Jones.
The Brazilian is coming off a first-round TKO victory over Ryan Bader at UFC Fight Night 28 on September 4.
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