Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen Will Coach TUF 17; Title Fight Set for April 27, 2013

UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones has his next assignment and it includes a coaching stint on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Jones will join the show, which begins taping later this month, and will coach opposite former middleweight contender and perennial UFC bad boy Chael Sonnen.

MMAWeekly.com first learned the pair were being considered as coaches last week, but the decision remained in the corner of Jones, who obviously opted to accept the job. The confirmation for the show was first reported by the LA Times on Tuesday.

Beyond their stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, Jones and Sonnen will then square off in a bout for the UFC light heavyweight title on April 27 at a UFC pay-per-view event with a location to be named later.

“This should be a good one,” White told the LA Times about the pairing. “Jon has accepted the fight. He knows the fans want to see that fight.”

Jones stated last week that he was warming up to the idea of facing Sonnen after public pressure from the fans that wanted to see the bout take place.

Sonnen was originally scheduled to face Forrest Griffin at UFC 155, but now that bout has been pulled as the self-professed “American Gangster” from West Linn, Ore., will instead coach opposite Jones before facing him in the Octagon next year.

Sonnen last fought at UFC 148 against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He was stopped by TKO in the second round.

Jones and Sonnen will head to Las Vegas on Oct. 29 to begin taping the new version of the reality show airing on FX starting in early 2013.

Stay tuned for more on Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen as updates become available.