No Surgery Required, Jon Jones Injury Should be Fully Healed by Chael Sonnen Fight

It’s obvious with the announcement that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will coach opposite Chael Sonnen on the seventeenth season of The Ultimate Fighter and then fight afterwards that Jones’ arm injury from his last fight wasn’t as severe as many feared.

Jones’ arm was injured when it was caught and locked out in an armbar by Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 in September.

Tuesday’s announcement about the coaching positions and subsequent bout, however, overshadowed Jones’ elbow.

Despite initial thoughts by many that the injury might be more severe, UFC Tonight on Tuesday evening updated Jones’ status, indicating that he will not require surgery.

Jones has a ligament strain in his elbow that will require rehabilitation, but not a trip to the operating table. There were no breaks or tears.

Filming for TUF 17 begins in just a couple of weeks, but the fight with Sonnen isn’t scheduled to take place until April 27, 2013, so Jones should have plenty of time for his elbow to return to 100-percent healthy.

Stay tuned to MMAWeeky.com for all the latest on Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen.